The Alpha's Imprint
by dorme99
Summary: From the first moment Bella and Jacob came in contact with each other there was never a choice. They were destined to be together forever. But is Bella really strong enough to fight in a battle between Vampire and Werewolf?
1. Chapter 1 Age Is Nothing but a Number

**Resubmitted February 11, 2011**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

_**Part One "The Alpha"**_

**Charlie POV**

It was an unusually hot summer day in Forks, Washington. My twelve year old daughter Bella was spending the summer here with me and we were hanging out at my best friend Billy's house. Isabella and Billy's ten year old son Jacob were in the back yard playing; they were acting out _"Westside Story"_ and Bella was singing "I Feel Pretty" while standing on a tin tub that was turned upside down.

Billy and I were watching them through the kitchen window when Billy started to chuckle and said, "I bet you five dollars that Bella won't make it half way through the song before she falls off that tub." I knew Bella was my daughter, and I shouldn't laugh, but I did because, unfortunately, my daughter was the clumsiest child on this earth, and it was known by everyone that she was even capable of falling over lint that was on the ground.

"You're on. She'll make it through the song but I think she will fall off when she stops singing." We shook hands and continued to look out the window. I wondered if I was a terrible dad for betting that my daughter was going to fall.

Jacob and Bella were a funny sight to see. Bella was holding a wooden spoon and was singing at the top of her lungs, "_I feel pretty, oh so pretty," _and while Bella sang, Jacob jumped and danced around the tub. Bella arched her back as she attempted to sing a high note and fell backward off of the tub.

At that same moment, in what seemed like in slow motion Jacob was behind her and he caught her before she hit the ground. What I saw next almost made me pee in my pants. Ten year old Jacob was holding my twelve year old daughter by the waist. Bella's arms were dangling at her side, but she was looking up at Jacob and Jacob was looking down at her. There was a _glow _around them.

I stood there silently with my mouth slightly open. There was a yellowish light coming from the inside of them outward. Billy was sitting next to me in total silence but suddenly, he said something in his native language that I didn't understand. Billy's voice shook me back into action and I walked toward the back door. Billy and I had to get the kids away from whatever was out there before it hurt them. I heard Billy wheeling after me and he said, "Charlie wait, don't go out there. They are safe and you and I need to talk."

I didn't remember how Bella and I made it home; it was midnight and Bella had been sleeping for hours. I was in her room sitting in her rocking chair staring blankly at the wall in front of me. I was scared to go to sleep. I was scared to have Bella out of my sight. I was scared that I had lost my mind.

According to Billy there was a mystical world out there that I'd been a part of for all of my life. Vampires and werewolves were real; they existed in Forks, in La Push, all over this world.

What really scared me more than anything else was not that I knew about them, but Bella would be a part of that world for the rest of her life; she was going to devote her life to a werewolf; she was going to fall in love, marry, and spend the rest of her life with a monster that I thought only existed in horror movies and books. I was having a very hard time wrapping my mind around what I saw and was told today.

My best friend was a part of a world that I never knew existed. How was he able to keep this from me all of these years? How was a whole town able to keep such a big secret? How could creatures roam around this earth and go undetected by anyone?

_Please God, let this just be a horrible dream that I'll wake up from. _

I was sure when the sun rose in a couple of hours and I looked in the bathroom mirror I would have aged at least twenty years.

**Billy POV **

Jacob had always loved my best friend's daughter, Isabella. From the first time he ever saw her, when he was four years old, he followed her everywhere she went and worshipped the ground she walked on. I remembered when it was time for Charlie and Bella to go home; Jacob had the biggest tantrum we'd ever seen. He didn't want her to go. He cried and cried and no matter what we tried, he wouldn't calm down.

The next morning he refused to eat anything. He would not play or talk. Jacob just stayed in his room. We thought it was cute at first but this behavior continued on into the next day and Jacob's mom and I started to really worry about him. I'd given Charlie a call and asked him if Bella could come and play with Jacob for a while. He'd agreed and said they would be over in an hour.

As soon as Jacob saw Bella, he came back to life. He ate, played and was the happy four year old that we knew and loved. I was worried about how he'd handle it when she had to go home again, but all Jacob wanted to know was if Bella would come back to see him again. When he was assured that she would, he seemed fine, the next year my wife was killed in a horrible car accident that also left me in a wheel chair. Jacob took his mother's death very hard. He was very attached to his mom and was only five at the time. He needed his mother so much. It hurt me to see just a shell of him walk around the house.

When summer time came and Charlie brought Bella over once again, I started to see the life come back into my son. I should have made the connection then; I guessed since the werewolf gene had skipped my generation, I'd thought that those days were over. I was wrong thinking that vampires were no longer a threat to my people.

The rules for an Alpha were a bit different than the other wolves in the pack. They could imprint before they went through the transformation, it just got more intensified once they made eye contact after they phased for the first time. It was more than a little disturbing to me that this was happening now; that this had been going on since Jacob was four. He was just a child; all of the legends from the past told of packs being formed when the males were already in their twenties. What did this mean? My son was only ten; surely he was not about to become a werewolf now.

Also, as much as I cared about Charlie and Bella, I thought that imprints could only be people of our decent. Bella was as pale faced as you could get. But it was undeniable. Charlie and I both witnessed the glow that transpired when Jacob and Bella locked eyes with each other. He was about to freak out so I had to tell him _everything_ .When I was done Charlie grabbed Bella, told her it was time to go, and ran out the door dragging her with him. Charlie was horrified and I guessed that he was going to try and avoid me now but that was a whole other issue.

I wheeled my chair over to the phone and started to dial a number; after three rings a male voice answered the phone,

"Hello, Clearwater residence."

"Hey, Harry, this is Billy."

"Oh, hey, Billy, what can I do for you?"

"I need you to gather all of the council members together; we need to have a meeting today within the next hour. Something serious has come up and we need to deal with it immediately."

**This story was reposted after about the sixth chapter. I started over because I wanted a beta to make the story better. Once again this **_**chapter**_** is being reposted due to errors that I have come across. **_**  
**_


	2. Chapter 2 The Council Meeting

**Resubmitted February 11, 2011**

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Billy POV**

It took Harry thirty minutes after I called to make it to my house and drive to the lodge to meet with the other council members. It was a little after ten o'clock at night, and Jacob had already gone to bed. Harry wheeled me out of the house, and helped me get into his truck. I was sure that Harry could see that I was deep in thought, so he didn't try to question me as to why I had called this emergency meeting. We made it to the lodge within ten minutes, and Harry wheeled me inside. I made my way up to my spot in the front of the room where everyone was gathered, waiting in anticipation for me to speak.

I began to realize at that moment that I didn't know how I wanted to begin; did I want to start from the beginning, when Jacob was just four years old, or did I start from today with what Charlie and I witnessed with our own eyes? I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths. I thought about Jacob and how I had to be strong for him. I could not be weak and fearful. There had to be some kind of threat coming that had put the wolf gene in motion, so, we needed to be prepared and ready for it. I had to make sure that Jacob would be prepared and ready for the role that he was destined to take on.

I said in a loud and strong voice, "Today Charlie and Isabella Swan were visiting Jacob and me at my house. The kids were playing outside in my backyard, and Charlie and I were watching them through the kitchen window. Isabella was standing on a turned over tin tub; she lost her balance and began to fall backwards. Before she could hit the ground, Jacob caught her and they locked eyes with each other. Suddenly, there was a yellowish glow that seemed to be coming _out of them_. I believe that Charlie and I witnessed my son, Jacob Black, imprint on Isabella Swan."

There was total silence; not one of the council members had anything to say. They all had a look of shock or disbelief on their faces. I thought that maybe giving them some of the past history between Bella and Jacob would help to clarify how I came upon the imprinting conclusion. I explained to them about Jacob's reaction to Bella the first time he met her and how he always acted around her every time they were together over the years.

Harry stood and said, "How could this be true? I know the rules of the Alpha; I understand that an Alpha can imprint before he actually phases, but Jacob and Isabella are only children, this does not make any sense. Nowhere in our history has something like this ever happened. Are you sure that you weren't just imagining things? Maybe it was just the light reflecting off of the tin tub that was outside next to them. There haven't been any vampires in this area for over seventy years; no one in our generation has phased, not one vampire has crossed these lands that we know of. Don't vampires have to be around before the wolf gene is activated? I mean no disrespect to you, Billy, but I just can't believe that a ten year old boy imprinted on a twelve year old child."

"Oh, shut up, you old fool, and sit down before you hurt yourself."

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice, including me. Standing in the entrance of the lodge was Catori; Catori was not a member of the council, but she was someone that all of the Quileute tribe had the utmost respect for. No one questioned or argued with Catori. As soon as Harry laid eyes on her, he quickly sat down and did not say another word.

No one knew exactly how old Catori was. She has always been here and she has always looked the same. Even when I was a child, I remembered seeing her on the rez, sitting in her rocking chair on her front porch, she looked like she did right at this moment. Catori was about 5 '4'. She had long, black hair that had traces of grey and reached midway down her back that she usually wore loose and wild. She had smooth, russet colored skin and her face and body were wrinkle free.

However, the wisdom that came from her eyes showed that she was old; how old, nobody knew. As far as any of us knew, she had never been married and she never had any children. When I was a child, I was scared of her because when she stared at you it felt like she could see right through you. She always seemed to know the good and bad about a person; what their thoughts were or things that they had done or planned to do.

"I know why you have called this meeting, Billy Black. I am here to make sure that no one doubts what you have told them. Your son, the Alpha Jacob Ephraim Black, has indeed imprinted on Isabella Swan."

Catori walked toward the front of the building and stopped directly in front of me. She knelt before me and said, "I mean you no disrespect, Billy, by barging in here and speaking without your permission, but I have some valuable information that will explain all of the questions that you and everyone else in this room may have. With your consent, I would like to please address the council."

To say the least, I was speechless; I had never witnessed Catori ask permission to speak before. There's a power around her that no one dared to question or come against. I looked at this woman who, at this moment, was kneeling in front of me with her head bowed and I was in awe. I reached my hand toward her, touched her shoulder, and said, "You may stand, and yes, you have my consent to speak before the council."

Catori got up and stood beside me .She looked at the people sitting before her and said, "As long as each of you can remember, I have always been here and I have always looked the same. I seem to know things that I should not know and when people are in my presence they can feel a power flowing from me. No one has ever had an answer to what my presence here means; my name is not in any of the legends that you have been hearing since birth and up to this point, my existence has not caused any ground breaking occurrences to be talked about.

"What you have seen is how it has always been; I've been at my home, sitting in my rocking chair rocking, watching and waiting. Waiting for this moment and time when the Alpha Wolf was required to be born again. There is a war on the horizon between the Cold Ones and the wolf; this pack of wolves will be the biggest pack that has ever existed in our history. You might as well get very comfortable because the story that I am about to tell you will be a long one."

**Thank you so much for reading. I would like to thank imcarriej and Ashleigh for being my betas. They did an excellent job and by the time they are done with me I will be a wonderful writer. Thanks for continuing to read my story. Thank you so much for the reviews and adding me to your favorites and story alerts. I promise to have chapter three posted as soon as possible. I've already sent it to my betas. Thanks again!**


	3. Chapter 3 Catori's Story

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Catori POV **

Catori stood ramrod straight as she began to tell her story; you could have heard a pin drop because this was the first time Catori had been willing to share anything about herself. Catori's life had always been a total mystery; this moment was going to be a part of the history that some day would be included in the legends we told our children.

Catori's eyes glazed over, and she said, "During my time, I grew up thinking that I was going to take the same path that my mother and grandmother took. I would be a wife and have children; that was both my heart's desire and a purpose that I was eager to fulfill.

"One day, I was home with my mother and sisters, preparing dinner for my father and brothers. They were hunting and were going to be home soon. Suddenly, my father came running into our yard with my brothers' close behind him. He told my mother that the Chief had requested my presence before him and the elders. My mother asked to know why; had I done anything to anger the Chief? But my father didn't have an answer for her. He grabbed my arm and rushed me off to see the Chief. I was scared. I'd seen him in passing, and I was raised to respect him and his position, but I never thought that I would have direct contact with him.

"The Chief and Elders were already assembled in their positions when I arrived. The Chief was sitting in the middle with two Elders on each side of him. There was a pathway that led up to where the Chief sat, and at the end of that pathway were two guards. Each guard was holding a spear blocking the way to the Chief. My father and I stopped at the end of the pathway, and we both fell to our knees with our heads bowed.

"In a loud booming voice, the Chief said, 'Catori Harjo, you may come forward!' I was shaking as I stood up; I didn't know how I was going to move my legs and make my way to the Chief. I didn't know what he wanted with me. I tried very hard to think about anything that could have been done to bring shame to my family, but I could think of nothing. I stopped two feet in front of the Chief, and he asked me, 'Do you know who I am, Catori?' I held my head up high and looked the Chief directly in his eyes as I said, 'You're our Chief, Ephraim Black.'

"Ephraim smiled at me and said, 'You need not be frightened, young one; I have brought you here before me today because our tribe needs you. You have been chosen to be our Messenger.'

"There had not been a Messenger in our tribe in over a hundred years. Having a Messenger always meant that there was a threat to the tribe; a Messenger always came before an Alpha was born. Onawa was the last Messenger to exist in the Quileute Tribe, and she disappeared before Ephraim was born. I didn't know what to say; there was nothing special about me; I had no gifts. How could _I _be chosen for such a huge task? Ephraim stood before me and said, 'A Messenger has to have a pure heart and total loyalty to her tribe. I've been watching you for a while and have consulted with the Elders, and we all agree that you are to be the next Messenger. You have the choice to accept this honor or refuse it, because if you choose to accept this task there will be no turning back. You will have to sacrifice a lot to fulfill the destiny of a Messenger. You will have to leave your parents' home, and you can never marry or have children. The life of a Messenger is a lonely one; you are not allowed to make friends. You will watch and wait, and when the time comes, you will tell your story and assure that the Quileute Tribe of the future is prepared for the next Alpha.'

"This was an honor. If I chose to accept being a Messenger, my family would be proud, but it would cost me the life that I had planned for myself. I would have to walk away from my family and friends. My dream of having a family of my own would never come to pass, but this was not about just me, it was about the future generations of the tribe, and they needed me. So there was really no other choice to be made; I would become the next Messenger.

"The moment I decided to become the Messenger, I was magically transformed. Everything about me changed, I lost the look of a fifteen-year-old and looked more like I was twenty-five; I saw the world through different eyes. All of my senses sharpened, and when I looked at a person I knew them. I saw their secrets, heard their thoughts, and knew what was coming next for them.

"Ephraim stood directly in front of me; he placed one of his hands on each side of my shoulders, bent his head down towards me, tilted his head to the side, and blew into my right ear. At that moment, I received my message. I knew where my destiny lay."

**Billy POV**

This woman standing before us knew my Grandfather; he had died while I was still young, so I did not remember him at all. A tear began to fall down my face; Catori turned and faced me, and said, "Billy, your grandfather was a good man; he was a great Chief, and he would be proud of how you have raised Jacob. My time here on this earth is almost up; this is the message that I was sent forth to give. You guessed correctly; Jacob did imprint on Isabella, but it did not happen the day they were playing in the yard. He imprinted on Isabella when he saw her for the first time at the age of four; Isabella had to _accept_ Jacob's imprint, and that is what you saw today. The yellow glow that you saw was coming from Isabella; it was her soul giving itself to Jacob. The bond is complete now, but Jacob and Isabella are too young to act on the imprint the way we are accustomed to seeing it. For now, they are just friends that feel the need to be around each other as much as possible.

"I need to warn you all now that the rules you are accustomed to abiding by on keeping the mystical world a secret are going to have to change. Isabella's parents have to know everything; they will be playing a key role in her future. I have already called Renee, and she should be arriving in Forks tomorrow morning. Charlie is very disturbed right now, and as much as he loves you, Billy, he has no intention on setting foot back in La Push again. Don't try to call him. Let Renee deal with him, she knows what to do.

"We need to start setting things in motion for the pack now. First of all, this pack is going to start phasing at a much younger age than what we are accustomed to. They will still be in high school; that will be an issue for them, so we need to get as many of them done with high school as fast as possible. We can't single them out because then people would get suspicious, so here is the plan: the Quileute School District will adopt a new curriculum that will accelerate every student's learning abilities. The reason that will be given is that this is a chance for our children to have an advantage to go on to higher levels of learning at a younger age.

"You need to keep an eye on the pack members without them or their families knowing that you are doing so. These will be the protectors of our tribe: _Quil, Sam, Jared, Paul, Seth, Collin, Brady, Embry, and Jacob. _

"For now, there isn't much else we can do. We will need to meet here again, tomorrow at noon; Renee and Charlie will be here. I know that you have a lot more questions, but I cannot give any more answers."

Just like that, Catori walked out of the lodge and into the night.

**Charlie POV**

I realized that I was wrong as I stared at myself in the mirror; I hadn't aged twenty years, but more like fifty. Sometime during the early morning hours I managed to fall back asleep, only to be awakened by Bella wanting to know why I was sleeping in her rocking chair. She said that was a little creepy; yeah, like her falling in love with a giant wolf wasn't creepy! I'm sure saying that would have shut her up real quick.

I took a shower, got dressed and went down stairs. Bella was already sitting at the kitchen table eating cereal; I grunted a good morning in her direction and made myself some coffee. Once Bella was done eating, she washed her bowl in the sink and asked me, "So dad, what time are we going to La Push today? I want to call Jacob and let him know so he can be ready. We are supposed to go swimming at First Beach."

I picked up the newspaper, and said, "We aren't going to La Push today. I would like for us to do something together for once."

"Awww, Dad, but I promised Jacob that I was coming. He doesn't do well when I don't come after I've said I am going to. Plus I want to see him! Can't you and I do something special tomorrow?"

"You spend too much time with Jacob; you guys see each other almost every day. You come here in the summer to see me, not Jacob; _I _want to spend some time with you, Bella. I think you and Jacob need to spend some time apart for a while."

Right when Bella was going to respond, there was a knock at the front door. I got up to answer it, and when I opened the door, the wind was knocked out of me. Renee was standing on my front porch.

Renee smiled at me and said, "Well, are you going to just stare at me, or are you going to let me in?"

I backed up and let Renee walk in through the front door.


	4. Chapter 4 Renee's Visit

**Resubmitted February 11, 2011**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Renee POV**

As Charlie stepped away from the door and allowed me to walk across the threshold, I felt like I had gone back in time. He had not changed anything in this house since I left him eight years ago. God, I would never forget the night I told him I was leaving him, and that I was taking Bella with me. I thought he would have given in easily because Charlie never liked to fight with me, but he surprised me. He begged and pleaded with me; he promised me that he would change, he would cut his hours at work, and he would make sure that we spent more family time together. There wasn't anything that he could have said to me to change my mind.

Over the years, I had my share of nightmares of that night, but no matter how much pain I caused, I never regretted my decision. I'd learned that sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love in order to protect them. Maybe after today Charlie would be able to finally forgive me for ripping our family apart and move on with his life.

I dropped my keys on the hallway table and yelled, "Bella, come give your momma a hug!"

I heard some shuffling in the kitchen, and then I saw my beautiful daughter walking towards me; her shoulders were hunched over and her head was bowed. I heard her say in a low sad voice, "Hi, Mom, are you here to take me back to Phoenix?"

"Oh, course not, honey! I would never cut your time short with your dad. I'm here because an unexpected situation has come up that your father and I need to deal with. Once that is taken care of, I will be heading back to Phoenix."

I noticed a tear fall down Bella's face; I reached toward her chin and lifted it up, saying, "Bella, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Dad won't let me go to La Push to see Jacob. He said that I spend too much time with him. I promised Jacob that I would be there today; we were going to go to First Beach and go swimming. If I don't show up, he's going to be hurt, and I don't want him to be mad at me. Jacob is my friend, and I love spending time with him."

I pulled my daughter into the tightest hug I could give her, and I whispered into her ear, "Don't worry, you'll get to see Jacob today. Go upstairs and wash your face. Then I want you to pack an overnight bag; you and Jacob are going to spend the night at the Clearwater's."

Just that quick, the shine was back in Bella's eyes, and as she ran upstairs Bella shouted, "Thank you, Mom!"

I could feel Charlie boring holes with his eyes in the back of my head. I took a deep breath, and I turned around to look at him. Charlie was angry; he was shaking slightly, and his face was an unpleasant shade of purple. There wasn't an easy way to say what I needed to say, so I figured it would be best to be as blunt as possible. "I know about what happened while you were at Billy's yesterday. That is why I'm here. There is so much more that you need to know Charlie. You have no reason to want to see me, or go with me anywhere, but for just this once I need you to trust me, and come with me to La Push."

Charlie took a step towards me and he said in a menacing whisper, "If you know about what's going on at La Push, how could you want to send our child back to that place? Bella is not setting foot back in La Push to be around those monsters. It's my job as her father to protect her and make sure that she is safe. You and I have had our differences over the years, but the one thing that I knew I could always count on was you making sure that Bella was safe. How could you be so careless with our daughter's life?"

I stepped towards Charlie said, "Charlie, it's not like that. I would lay down my life for Bella, and there is nothing that I wouldn't do to protect her. There are wolves because vampires exist; keeping Isabella away from La Push is only going to keep her unprotected. Vampires don't live on the reservation like the wolves do. They live and roam _everywhere _on this earth, the wolves exist to protect us from the evil that is all around us. Just for a moment forget about the wolf thing; just think about Jacob and our daughter. He worships the ground she walks on, he's only ten and he's devoted to her. Jacob will always love her and respect her. He will do anything in his power to make sure that she is loved and protected. He will protect her, Charlie. Your bullets will not stop a vampire if it comes crashing through Bella's window, and tries to suck the life out of her. If you want to do what's best for our daughter, then you will stop being stubborn, and come to the council meeting with me."

I knew that I was fighting below the belt, but I had to get Charlie to see that the bigger threat was not the wolves, but the vampires. Charlie looked toward the stairs and he yelled, "Hurry up, Bella, your mother and I have a meeting we need to get to!"

**The chapters will start to get longer very soon. Thanks for reading so far!**


	5. Chapter 5 Renee's Story

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Bella POV**

Something very strange was going on with my parents. My dad was so angry; I was concerned that he would burst a blood vessel at any moment. The tension between my parents was so thick; it made riding in the car with them almost unbearable. This was definitely one of those times that a child should be seen and not heard.

We were almost to La Push, and they hadn't said one word to each other. I knew that it tore my dad apart anytime he was anywhere near my mom. Charlie went out of his way not to speak to my mom. I knew it was because when my mother left him and took me with her; she took his heart also. We were his whole world, and suddenly, with no real reason, she broke him.

I was too young to remember my mother leaving, but from the pictures around the house, I could see the difference in how my dad looked before she left compared to now. He was like a functioning zombie. He went to work, he hung out with a couple of friends, and he took care of me in the summer. It was enough to keep people from prying and telling him to move on. I'd never seen my dad date anyone or even talk about anyone that he might be interested in. Every year I came to visit and nothing in the house was ever changed. It was like he'd stopped living when my mom walked out the door. I feel bad for my dad because he was a wonderful person and deserved to be happy. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do because I was only twelve, and he wouldn't take any advice that I'd have to give seriously.

Once I was old enough to realize what my mother had done to my dad, I was resentful of her for a while. It angered me that she could tear our family apart like that, but I wasn't the type to hold a grudge for too long. So I let it go. My mom had gone on dates but there hadn't been anyone she cared enough about to consider marrying. She seemed content with being an art teacher and taking care of me. We had a pretty good relationship; it felt good to know that I could talk to her about anything. Even if we disagreed, she was there for me.

Renee always encouraged me to spend time with Charlie every year, and during the winter, spring, and fall seasons, she made sure that I always kept in contact with him. The biggest argument that we'd ever had was this past year when I told her that I didn't want to visit Dad for the summer. A couple of my Phoenix friends' parents had planned a summer trip to California for a week, and I wanted to go. I thought that Charlie could take a couple of weeks off, and we could spend some time together in Phoenix and do something different; but my mother was dead set against it. No matter how much I begged and pleaded with her, she would not change her mind. For some reason a lot of people had the wrong impression about my mother; they thought that she was flighty and child-like, but that was far from the truth. My mom was very centered and observant and set. When her mind was made up about something, there was nothing you could do to change it.

The only explanation that my mother would give was that my dad only got to see me three months out of the year, and he never complained about it. He wouldn't fight me about shortening our time together even though it would hurt him. She believed that if she gave in this time, I would start to come up with reasons every year not to go see my dad in the summer. She pulled the guilt card on me, but she didn't stop there. She just had to go in for the kill; she just had to mention Jacob.

She asked, "What about Jacob? He looks forward to you coming to La Push every summer. You guys are best friends, and didn't you promise him that you would be coming back this summer? You know what happens to Jacob when you don't show up when you say you will. Can you imagine what it would be like for him if you did not come for a whole summer?"

The first initial thought that came to mind was that Jacob would die. He would stop eating, he would stop caring about life, and he would stay in his room and waste away until there was nothing left. It would be my fault, and I would never forgive myself. Of course, I shook that thought off, that was just ridiculous, but my mom was right; not only would it hurt Jake because I ould be breaking a promise I made to him, but I didn't think that I could bear not seeing him for that long either. My mom was watching the internal struggle that was going on in my mind, and she smiled smugly at me when she realized that she had won. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and promised that I could do things with my friends in Phoenix when I came home.

My dad broke into my thoughts when he said, "Bella, we're here."

Wow, I must have zoned out. I didn't realize that the car had stopped and was parked in front of Harry Clearwater's home. My father and I got out of the car, and we walked to the Clearwater's doorway. Before I rang the bell I heard several sets of footsteps running toward the door, then suddenly it swung open to reveal Leah and Jacob standing before us.

Leah smiled and said excitedly, "Bella, you made it! We are going to have so much fun!"

Just as I was about to walk into the house Charlie said, "Bella, wait." I turned around and looked at him and Charlie grabbed me into a tight hug and said, "I love you, Bella."

"I-I love you too, Dad." I almost had to pry my dad's arms from around me.

"Dad, are you alright?"

Charlie smiled at me and said, "Yeah, Baby, I'm fine, just felt I needed you to know that I love you, that's all." Charlie turned around and walked back to the car, and my parents drove away. Yes, something was going on, and I hoped sooner rather then later I found out what it was.

**Renee POV **

Charlie got back into the car and said, "Not one word." I shrugged my shoulders and we drove off. It didn't take long for us to reach the lodge, and of course, we were the last ones to get there. As we walked in, I began to feel nervous. Everyone in this room except for Catori was my friend at one point in my life, when I abruptly turned my back on Charlie; I did the same to them. I did not expect a welcome committee, and I was not disappointed.

Quil Senior stood and said, "I understand why Charlie is here, but I don't understand why _she_ has to be here. We can get through this without her."

Catori stood and said, "It is not for you to decide who should and should not be here. Renee is Isabella's mother and, if for no other reason than that, she is welcome here. I would suggest you keep all other comments to yourself or you can leave, and that goes for anyone else here in attendance."

"Billy and I had a meeting before all of you arrived. He has given his consent for me to run this meeting and handle it the way I see fit. First I would like to thank you, Charlie, for coming today. You have been through a lot the past couple of hours, and I hope that after today things will be better for you.

"The rule has always been to keep the existence of the protectors a secret. So why do Charlie and Renee know about their existence? Well, it's because the union between Jacob Black and Isabella Swan will be like nothing that has ever existed before, and they will also be involved when it is time to go to war with the Cold Ones. I'm here today to tell you what I can about the future, but before I do that I think that it is imperative that Renee shares her story."

The only person that knew about my story was Catori. As I looked around at the faces looking back at me, I saw a range of emotions. There was hostility, sadness, curiosity, resentment and fear. I took a deep breath and allowed my mind to go back to the event that changed our lives ten years ago.

"I grew up in the city where everything was fast paced and exciting. I never thought that the best years of my life would be here in Forks. I met the love of my life here; we were married and soon after had a beautiful daughter. I was grateful that Charlie was old fashioned and didn't want me to work. I got to stay home and spend every moment I could with my daughter, and I was able to make a loving home for Charlie. It was hard for us after Bella was born because Charlie wanted to be a good provider. He worked all of the time so that we could have a comfortable life. When he was home, we did many fun things together; we spent a lot of time in La Push with our friends. I was happy, and there was no other place that I wanted to be. I had it all, a loving and devoted husband, a beautiful and happy daughter, and the best friends anyone could ask for.

"Even though it rains here constantly, I have always marveled at the beauty of the woods, and I loved to take walks along the trails. Charlie knew this, so one day he planned a special day for us and took us to this special place that he knew about. It was breathtaking. There were flowers everywhere, and in the distance, there was a waterfall. It became our place, and once Bella was born, it became her place, too. We would go there when we just wanted to get away from everything and everybody and spend time together. Well, one day, Charlie was at work, and I felt the need to go to our special place, but I had Bella with me. She wasn't a small baby anymore she was two years old, and the times that we did go to our special place, Charlie always carried her on his back. Bella would have been too heavy for me, so I settled with walking along the trails behind our house.

"After walking for a while, we stopped in a small clearing. I was sitting down on a boulder resting my feet while Bella was attempting to catch a butterfly. Suddenly, Bella started laughing and said, 'Oh pretty!' Most people would have assumed that she was talking about the butterfly. I knew better, Bella was like her father, even at the young age of two, she did not show large amounts of excitement about things unless it was something good, and a butterfly was not that exciting. I looked up to see what she had found. The hair on the back of my neck began to stand up, and I felt a chill go down my spine. I said in a calm but firm voice, 'Bella, come here now.' She did not hesitate. She ran back to me as fast her little legs could carry her. Standing a couple yards away from us was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. His features were flawless, and I could have easily gotten lost in his presence, except for the fact that he was sparkling and he had red eyes."

I heard a couple of gasps when I said red eyes. The council members didn't need me to tell them what I had encountered in the woods. I paused for a couple of seconds, and then I continued.

"My heart was beating so fast and hard that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I picked Bella up and I began to back away from him. Before I had a chance to blink, he said, 'Weren't you ever taught that it's rude to not say hello?'

"Knowing that my daughter was in danger overrode my common sense and I said, 'I think that rule only applies to humans, which you clearly are not.'

"He smiled and said, 'Ouch, you're feisty, I like that. My time with you will be very enjoyable.'

"I began to shake, I did not know what he had in mind, but I had to protect Bella. I said, 'please, you can do whatever you want with me, but don't hurt my daughter.'

"'Sorry, but I can't promise you that. I usually draw the line at children. I prefer the adult variety but unfortunately, your daughter's blood is mouth watering. I don't think that I will be able to resist, but I am willing to make a deal with you. You have to answer this question first. Do you know what I am?'

"I stared at this beautiful monster wide eyed. He was going to kill my daughter; he said that her blood was mouth watering. I chanced a look away from him and examined Bella. I did not see any scrape marks on her anywhere, how was he able to smell her blood? Then it hit me, he was pale, his eyes were red, and he was attracted to blood. I wrapped my arms around Bella so hard that I knew I was hurting her, but maybe it was my fear generating off me, because she never made a sound. I looked into the eyes of this monster and I said, 'Yes, I know what you are. You're a vampire.'

"He gave me a lopsided grin and said, 'Very perceptive, I believe having you around would make my days less dull. I will make you a deal. If you agree to let me change you into what I am, then I will take your daughter's life quickly, and she won't suffer at all. If you refuse being changed, then I will make it a slow painful death that you will have to watch, and then I will change you into what I am anyway.'

"Suddenly, there was a woman's voice behind me that yelled, 'If you kill that child and change her mother, then you will be breaking the treaty and the death of your family will be on your hands.'

Once again I was interrupted when Quil Sr. yelled out, "A _Cullen _almost attacked you?"

Catori gave Quil Sr. a stern look and she nodded towards me to continue. I took a deep breath and continued.

"The vampire backed away from me and looked in the direction of that voice. I was scared to turn around, because I did not want to take my eyes off him. The vampire said, 'The treaty has nothing to do with me. I no longer belong to that family. I have embraced what I really am. I am reminded of how much I enjoy what I am every time I look in the mirror and see my red eyes looking back at me. There are no dogs here to stop me. I already checked.'

"The voice behind me was a woman, and she did not seem to have any fear about what was standing before us. She began to say something in another language that I did not know, and it sounded like it was Quileute. Suddenly, the wind began to blow, and the smug look on the vampires face began to fade. It was replaced with a look of fear because he was beginning to crack. I could see it and hear it; little fissures were forming on his face. He looked me directly in my eyes and said, 'This is not over, I will be back.' Then he was gone.

"I blacked out, and when I awoke; I saw the Quileute woman holding Bella, and she was singing a Quileute song to her. I knew this woman. She lived on the reservation and her name was Catori. She had never said three words to me all the years I have lived in Forks, but I owed her my life. I slowly stood up and walked over to her. Before I could thank her for saving our lives, she looked at me with sadness in her eyes and said, 'What I did today will buy you some time. If you want to make sure that your daughter lives, you are going to have to leave Forks with your daughter, and you will have to make sure that Charlie stays here. You cannot tell him about what happened today because he will not believe you. The longer you stay in Forks, the more danger you will bring to your daughter and to him. The next time the Cold One comes into your home, Charlie will die trying to save you and Bella. You are going to have to hurt him in order to save him. You have until tomorrow morning to decide what you are going to do. If you choose to leave, I will be able to assist you, but if you choose to stay then your family is dead.'"

**Hope this makes everyone like Renee a little bit more. Who is that mystery vampire?**


	6. Chapter 6 Renee

_All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

**Renee POV continued **

I had been talking for a while, so I paused and had a cup of water. No one said anything or made a sound. They just stared at me some with sorrow and some with pity and waited for me to continue. I finished my water, placed the cup on the table that was next to me and continued where I left off.

"Catori walked with me through the forest back to my home. It was starting to get late, so I fed Bella, gave her a bath, and put her to bed. I was so drained, but the thought of closing my eyes was horrifying. I feared that the vampire would come back and finish what he promised.

"Catori promised that she would stay with me until Charlie came home. She said she would come back in the morning after he left. She made me some tea, which I drank while laying in bed. Once I finished my tea, I became sleepy. The next thing I remember was Catori waking me up in the morning.

"I knew there wasn't a choice; if I wanted to save my family, then I would have to leave Forks with Bella. I knew that I would have to be very convincing and the best liar that I could manage to be, because all of our lives were on the line.

"Catori had connections with a reservation in Arizona. She got me a job as an Art Teacher at their local high school. Catori also gave me enough money to find a place to live and take care of Bella for a couple of months. She promised that if I was ever in any danger she would contact me, but thankfully, I never received a phone call from her.

"I packed our bags, and I waited for Charlie to come home. We had a routine. Charlie would come home. Bella would be in the living room waiting for him. As soon as he stepped through the doors, Bella would scream, 'Daddy!' Then he would pick her up and spring her around. That would not be happening that day; Bella was upstairs playing with her toys. I did not want her to see and hear us fighting.

"I sat in the living room on the couch and waited. At 5:34 pm, I heard Charlie's cruiser pull up into the driveway, and I felt sick to my stomach. I felt like I had just swallowed a large piece of metal that was ripping me apart.

"I heard him as he walked up the porch steps and opened the door with his keys. The hallway closet door creaked as he opened it to put his gun belt in his gun box that he kept locked. He dropped his keys on the table. Charlie walked into the kitchen and back out again. I held my breath as he walked towards the living room.

"As Charlie walked through the doorway he asked, 'Renee, why are you sitting here in the dark, and where is Bella?'

"I stood up and with the strongest voice I could manage said, 'Charlie, I'm leaving you. I can't live in this small depressing town anymore. I'm tired of pretending that I am happy here.'

"Charlie said nothing. He just stood there in shock like he could not figure out what I was saying to him. I took a couple of steps toward him and said, 'Charlie, are you listening to me? I'm leaving Forks, and I'm taking Bella with me.'

"That snapped Charlie out of his trance. Charlie grabbed my hands and asked, 'Renee, what is going on? You love it here in Forks. You have been happy. I know you have. Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, it's not funny.'

"'I wouldn't joke about something like this, you know that,' I said. 'I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to pretend to be somebody that I'm not. I'm not doing it anymore.'

"'Is this because I work so much? I'll have my hours cut, and we can do more as a family. I'm sorry for not taking you more seriously when you pleaded with me to spend more time with you and Bella.'

"I snatched my hands out of Charlie's and I said, 'This has nothing to do with how much you work.'

"I turned away from Charlie, and I walked away from him toward the fireplace. I couldn't look at him anymore; he was fighting for us and it was breaking my heart.

"Charlie walked up behind me and said in a very soft voice, 'If you hate it here so much then I'll quit my job, and we can move to where ever you want to go. I love you, Renee, and I want you to be happy. We can make this work.'

"I closed my eyes as tight as I could because I could feel the tears about to fall. I could not let that happen if I wanted Charlie to believe me. He could not see me crying. I took a couple of deep breaths, and I turned around and said to Charlie in the coldest voice that I have ever heard myself use, 'I'm taking Bella away from this place, not only because I hate it here, but also because I don't love you anymore."

There was no need to continue with my story. Everyone in the room knew the outcome. I did leave with Bella, and Charlie was devastated. Even now, he looked like I crushed him all over again. He got up suddenly and walked out the door.

**Charlie POV**

All this time I thought Renee left me because she didn't love me, but it was because she was trying to protect me. Thinking about what that monster wanted to do to her and my daughter, sent chills down my spine. I was overcome with a sudden rush of anger. I had to get some air, so I stood up abruptly and rushed outside. I heard Billy behind me and I said, "Did you know about this? Did you know that a vampire wanted to suck the life out of my daughter and make my wife one of them?"

Billy wheeled himself in front of me and said, "No, I did not know about any of this. Renee never told any of us. Catori never said a word about it either."

I collapsed onto the step and said, "I'm sorry, Billy, for the way I acted yesterday. You have never done anything to cause me or Bella harm. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it. If Jacob is going to protect my daughter and keep her safe, then you have my support."

Billy and I went back inside. Catori, along with the council, Renee and me, came up with a plan... The first thing to happen would be Renee and Bella moving back to Forks.

**Six Years Later**

_**The Cullens**_

It had been six months since he returned to me and our family. I'd been afraid to hope that he would stay and be content with our vegetarian lifestyle, but so far there had been no problems, and he seemed to be happy. We were all in shock when he turned up on our door step with amber eyes, and a sincere apology about how he had abandoned us.

I didn't know how Alice did not see him coming back to us; she was just as shocked as the rest of us. He wouldn't talk about where he had been, or the things that he did while away. All he said was that he was not proud of what he had become, and he would spend the rest of his existence punishing himself for his actions. We were glad that he was home where he belonged.

He was surprised at my reaction. Instead of me being bitter and wanting revenge for him abandoning me, I welcomed him with a smile and a hug. I'd dreamt about this moment almost every night, and it had finally come true. My father, Edward Cullen, was home. I didn't feel like an orphan in this house full of vampires anymore.


	7. Chapter 7 Going From Here

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Catori POV**

**Six Years Later**

Once Renee told her story about why she left Forks, all negative feelings that anyone may have had toward her disappeared.

Renee showed just how loyal and devoted she was to her family and friends. The choice that Renee made gave everyone that thought they knew her a new insight into who she really was. Renee was not a spineless, selfish person that only thought about herself; she was a committed, caring, loving, and devoted wife and mother. She had been willing to sacrifice her happiness to assure the wellbeing of the ones that she loved.

Renee went through this trauma without telling a soul about what had actually happened to her and Bella on that horrible day. A weaker person would have lost their mind, but she never faltered and she made a new life for Bella and herself. Everyone that knew about what Renee went through had a new respect for her. They knew better than to think that if they were in that situation they would have made the same choices.

We talked about where we should go from here, and it was suggested by Billy, since we knew the truth about why Renee left Forks, that if she wanted to, she should come back.

All of the council members seemed on board with that idea, but everyone knew that unless Renee and Charlie could come to some type of agreement, that could not be a possibility.

Unfortunately, Charlie was an emotional mess. For ten years he had held on to so much pain and resentment because of Renee leaving him and taking Bella. Suddenly, his life was turned upside down again when he not only found out that his daughter would be in love with a werewolf, but there were vampires _and_ his ex-wife never really stopped loving him. She only left because their lives would have been in danger if she had stayed.

Once again, I underestimated Renee and her willingness to set aside her wellbeing for the sake of others. She suggested Bella moving back to Forks if that was okay with Charlie.

The outcome of our discussion was surprising. Charlie and Renee decided that it would be in Bella's best interest if Renee and Bella both came back to Forks. They would move back into Charlie's house, but Renee would of course stay in the guest bedroom.

We firmly believed that for now the mystical world still needed to be kept a secret. So Bella was told that since she was getting older Renee wanted her to have more time with her dad, and Renee realized that she missed the quiet life in Forks. I was surprised when eventually Charlie and Renee were able to rekindle their love for one another and got married again.

Watching Jacob and Isabella's relationship over the past six years was enjoyable. Their devotion to each other was so pure, innocent, and effortless.

Sometimes watching them caused me to think about the life I had left behind. It made me wonder what would have happened if I had chosen a different path. Would I have fallen in love, gotten married, and had children of my own? Watching their romance was like a double edged sword; I felt joy knowing that such a love could exist, but at the same time I knew that my fate would not allow me to ever experience that love for myself.

Unfortunately, this time of peace and tranquility for all of us was about to end. I felt it in the air that the beginning of the war was about to begin.

**Jacob POV**

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life truly began the very first day that I was introduced to my Bells. It had been ten years, but when I thought about how we met, it seemed like it just happened yesterday...

_It had been raining the night before, which caused several big mud puddles in my back yard. My mother handed me a bucket and shovel and told me to have fun and get as dirty as I wanted to. I was digging holes all over the yard, and was a total mess. I heard the back door open and close, so I looked up. _

_Next to my dad was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. She was hiding halfway behind a man I did not know. My dad introduced Bella and Charlie to me and explained that Bella had come over to play with me._

_Charlie and my dad did not exist to me at that moment. All I could see and concentrate on was the angel that stood before me. Her beautiful big brown eyes had me trapped in her gaze. She became my reason for breathing, and all I wanted to do was be the cause of her happiness. _

_I remembered running to her, grabbing her hand, and telling her to come and play with me. I gave Bella my shovel and bucket and we made mud pies._

_The time went by so fast. It was starting to get dark outside. Charlie came into the yard and told Bella to tell me good-bye because it was time to go home. Bella stood up and thanked me for letting her use my bucket and shovel._

_I thought to myself that I didn't want her to go; I wanted her to stay with me forever. My bottom lip quivered, and I begged her to stay. I even offered to let her sleep in my bed, and I would sleep on the floor. Of course she refused and said that she had her own room and toys at her house. _

_I asked her if she would come back again to play with me but she told me that she did not know if she would see me again._

_Bella turned around and walked towards her dad. I didn't move; I just whispered quietly to myself, "Don't go, Bella. Please don't go." _

_The tears started to fall; I heard Charlie's car start and I ran toward the front of the house. My mom and dad stood on the porch, waving good-bye as the car began to drive away. I ran after the car screaming, "Bella, come back!" _

_Billy caught me and carried me kicking and screaming back to the house. I had a total melt down; nothing my parents tried calmed me down. I felt like my chest was being ripped open from the inside out. But I was only four years old; how could someone leaving bring me such pain? I did not know how to express to my parents how I felt. It didn't make any sense for me to react the way I did toward Bella. I didn't even like girls; I stayed away from them. I didn't want them touching me, but Bella was different._

_My mother stayed in the room with me that night. She held me in her arms and sang to me until I finally fell asleep. I woke up the next morning and felt like all of my life force had been drained out of me. Nothing mattered to me. I didn't talk, eat, or play. I just sat in the living room and looked out the window and prayed that my angel would come back to visit._

_The next day, my dad came into my room while I was lying down on my bed looking at the wall, and told me that someone was there to see me. I slowly turned my head, and my angel stood in the doorway. I sat up and said, "Hi, Bella!" _

_Bella walked toward me, she tilted her head to the side, and asked, "Hi, Jacob. Why do you look so sad?" _

_I looked down at my hands and said, "I missed you." _

_Bella smiled at me and said, "I missed you, too. Let's go play outside." _

_We had so much fun that day, but this time when it was time for her to go, everyone promised me that Bella would be back to play with me. I was sad to see her go but since I knew she would be coming back, I handled it well._

My mother died February of the following year in a car crash, and my dad's injuries caused him to be in a wheel chair. I was five years old, and I was devastated. I felt like a part of me died when I was told that I would never see my mother again. For a long time I didn't see life in vibrant colors, only in dull grays, black and white. I wasn't close to my sisters; my dad was grieving and trying to physically recover, so I felt so alone.

Charlie came over a lot and sometimes he would take me out to get ice cream or go for a walk. He made me feel special. For a couple of hours I was able to forget about what my family was going through. Bella coming to visit that summer brought some life back to me, and every summer after that I felt even better.

I think I totally recovered when Bella moved back to Forks for good four years ago. I got to see her whenever I wanted to and sometimes that still wasn't enough for me.

Just about everyone in Forks and La Push knew that Bella and I were best friends, and that we had been inseparable since we were really young. Everyone seemed to think that our friendship was so "cute". I hated that.

I hadn't told anyone this, but I loved Bella. I couldn't imagine ever not having her in my life. As far as I was concerned, no other girls existed except for her. If it were legal I would have married her instantly.

My friends made fun of me because they knew how I felt. I wore my emotions on my sleeve, so it wasn't a big secret, but I never did anything about it. I was scared to; I didn't want to ruin our friendship. Plus, I was two years younger than her, even though to look at me you would think I was older than Bella. I had grown a lot this past year, and I could have passed for a 19 year old. Everyone always asked what Billy was feeding me because I was so tall and muscular.

At least Bella and I were in the same grade and we would graduate together, at different schools of course. I loved that La Push had us on an accelerated curriculum. Many of the students had graduated from high school at younger ages and had gone off to college.

I knew I couldn't wait much longer to tell Bella how I felt though. I'd noticed how a lot of the guys at Forks like her, and they were always asking her out on dates. Even some of my own friends had been flirting with her lately. So far she hadn't taken any of them seriously, but I was scared that someone could come along at any moment and sweep Bella off her feet. There was no way I could ever let that happen.

**Bella POV**

I was so frustrated with Jacob right now I could slap him. How could he be so dense? I'd been waiting the past six months for him to ask me out on a date, try to kiss me, or ask me to be his girlfriend. He hadn't done any of those things.

I knew he liked me. _Everybody_ knew that he liked me. My mom and dad teased me all of time about how much Jake liked me, and every time we came home from La Push, they asked me if he had asked me out yet. My answer was always no, he had not.

When I visited La Push, the guys were always flirting with me, especially Quil. I remembered about a month ago, we were hanging out in the back yard, and I was sitting on a bench reading a book. Jacob, Quil, and Embry were in the garage working on a dirt bike. Quil came out of the garage and snuck up behind me and snatched the book I was reading out of my hand. He began to run off.

I chased after him and yelled, "Hey, give me my book back, you jerk!"

He stopped running and held the book high over my head. Without warning he grabbed me around the waist and yanked me toward him and said, "Give me a kiss, and I'll give you whatever you want."

Before I even had a chance to respond, Jacob had yanked Quil away from me and grabbed him by his collar. He growled out, "If you _ever_ put your hands on my Bella again, I will kick your butt. She is mine. Got that?"

Quil yanked away from Jacob and said, "No, she isn't, Jacob; Bella is your _friend_. You have no claim to her. So until you grow some cajones and do something about that, then I can touch her as much as I want... as long as Bella is ok with it."

He turned toward me and tossed back my book, and left. Quil called me later that night and apologized for grabbing me. He admitted that he was trying to get Jacob mad enough to finally step up and do something about liking me. I decided that I was just going to have to take matters into my own hands.


	8. Chapter 8 The Storm

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Catori POV**

My time was almost up; there was one more assignment that I had to complete before I could be laid to rest. The Cullens were coming back; once that happened, the Protectors would begin to phase. The council members knew what needed to be done from that moment on, and they wouldn't need me anymore.

I took a look around my home and sighed. I knew that this would be the last time I saw this place. I closed my front door and took a walk to First Beach, and I waited…

**Jacob POV**

Something was happening; I felt it in the air. I didn't know how to explain it, but I felt like my life was about to change. Something was going on with my dad and his friends. They'd had a lot of late night meetings and whispered conversations on the phone. I didn't like the way Billy looked at me lately. He looked like he was waiting for something, and it was really starting to scare me.

I was in my room doing nothing, when I started to feel caged in. So I decided to take a walk to First Beach. Once I stepped onto the porch I almost changed my mind. It looked like a hurricane was approaching. Even though it was the middle of the day, it was very dark outside and extremely windy. I didn't want to go back into the house, so I jumped off the porch and proceeded to walk to the beach.

As I took in the site ahead of me, I stopped and stared in wonder. Lightening flashed across the horizon over the water. The grey, angry clouds moved across the sky in a circular motion, and the wind wreaked havoc on the waves that crashed to shore. It was beautiful and horrifying at the same time.

I was surprised to see Catori standing along the shoreline. I suddenly felt the need to walk toward her. Once I stood in front of her, Catori smiled and said, "Jacob, I've been waiting for you."

Catori turned away from me and walked toward the water. She didn't stop until the water reached her knees. In my opinion, that was not the smartest thing to do, considering there was a lightening storm going on. Catori turned toward me and said, "Come forward, Jacob, you need not have fear. I would not let any harm come to you."

I didn't feel like I had much of a choice. Before I could really think about it my feet were already moving forward. My eyes were locked with Catori's. Once I reached her, Catori said, "Please kneel."

I did as I was told.

Catori placed a hand on either side of my face and at that precise moment lighting struck all around us. Suddenly, a bunch of images flashed before my eyes. I saw: pale, red-eyed creatures that sparkled in the sunlight, horse sized wolves that ranged in various colors, bonfires, Renee as she clutched a small child with fear in her eyes, and my Bella backed into a corner staring into the black eyes of a glittering monster.

It was too much; I felt like I could not breathe. I tried to pull away from Catori. She leaned forward and whispered, "Your destiny is at hand, Jacob Black. The Cold Ones are coming and soon it will be time for you to fulfill your purpose. Also, Bella needs to _hear _you say that you want her as more than just a friend. She is part of your future. Never doubt her love for you."

Catori let go of me and everything went black…Two days later I woke up.


	9. Chapter 9 It's In The Messege

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Billy POV**

Even though there was a storm going on outside, Charlie and I were at Harry's watching a football game. I spent most of the day there and once it started to get dark, Charlie drove me home. I noticed that there were no lights on inside and it didn't look like anyone was home. Charlie helped me out of the truck; I wheeled myself onto the porch and opened the front door. I called for Jacob but did not get an answer.

I wheeled myself to the usual spot that Jacob would leave a note, letting me know where he was. But there wasn't one. This was not like Jacob. He knew where I would be today and if he planned on being out past sundown, he knew he had to let me know where he was.

I called all of his friends, but no one had heard from him.

I asked Charlie if he could get in touch with Bella and ask her if she had talked to Jacob today. Charlie called but no one answered the phone, which was strange because Renee and Bella should have been home.

I felt on edge. My son was a good kid, and he respected my rules for the most part. Suddenly, I heard shuffling and a thud on the porch. Charlie and I went to the front door and looked on the porch. Lying face down on the steps was my son. Charlie ran toward him and turned Jacob over, and tried to get him to come to. Jacob opened his eyes and turned toward me.

I took a sharp breath as I searched Jacob's face. The carefree softness that he always had was gone. In its place were eyes that were full of wisdom and the knowledge that the days of being a child were gone. Charlie helped Jacob up and walked him into his room.

Jacob lay down on his bed; he looked at us and said in a voice I did not recognize, "Catori, the Messenger, has gone to the spirit world. The time has come for the Alpha Jacob to take his place and lead his pack."

Jacob then closed his eyes and went to sleep. He did not wake up again for two days.

**Charlie POV**

I'd had six years since Renee and Bella came back to Forks to prepare for this, but I was still freaked out. I guess there was a small part of me that hoped all of this _hocus pocus_ was not real after all, and someday I would wake up and realize it was all a sick dream.

I couldn't ignore what I saw for myself. Jacob didn't look like the same kid that I had loved like my own son since I met him at the age of four. The person who I helped lay in bed was not a fourteen year old, but a man who had seen too many battles in his life.

I almost completely lost it when he spoke. It was _not _Jacob's voice. It was the voice of an older, wiser man from another time. I was paralyzed in my spot, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

The hair on my arms and neck rose, and my heart was beating so fast that my chest was hurting. For a moment, I feared that I would have a heart attack.

I closed my eyes, and tried to calm myself down. Through the sound of the blood that rushed through my ears, I faintly heard Billy call my name. I snapped my eyes open and slowly looked at my best friend. What I saw at that moment made me remember that I couldn't afford to fall apart. My family and I were chosen to be a part of this fight. I would be damned if I let my second family down.

Tears fell down Billy's face. I held a hand out toward him and squeezed his shoulder. This was a heavy weight on his shoulders. Everyone looked to him for answers and assurances that everything would be okay.

Billy had his own family issues that he struggled with; that _now_ had to be put on the back burner. Rachel and Rebecca high-tailed it out of La Push as soon as they graduated from high school last year. One got married, and the other went off to live in another state. That broke Billy's heart. All he had left was Jacob and now his son would not even get a chance to enjoy his teenage years. He would have to grow up overnight and lead an army in the supernatural world.

I pushed Billy out of Jacob's room and wheeled him into the living room. I gave him something to wipe his face with and asked him, "So, what do we do now?"

Billy took a deep breath and said, "I will have to call the council members and let them know that Catori is gone and that we should be expecting the Cullens' return very soon."

For a few moments, there was complete silence. I heard the clock in the kitchen as it ticked. The sound distracted me until Billy shifted in his seat and spoke again.

"Charlie, you need to tell Renee what happened today. Don't let her or Bella roam around Forks alone. I don't want them to come face to face with one of the Cullens before we get a chance to go over the treaty with them.

"Since they aren't human drinkers, they will try and blend in with humans. That means they will get jobs, and there's a chance that they may even go to Forks High."

The thought of those freaks being around my family made me sick to my stomach. How was I supposed to act like everything was all good when there was such a horrific threat closing in on the town that I was sworn to protect and serve?

I asked Billy, "What do I tell Bella? The moment she sees Jacob, she is going to know that something is up."

"I can't answer that question until Jacob wakes up. For now, just tell Bella that Jacob is sick and that he can't talk on the phone or have company."

Having to tell Bella that she couldn't see or talk to Jacob was like telling a ballerina that she couldn't dance; she was going to have a fit.

As soon as I finished that thought, my cell phone rang. It was Renee and she was hysterical. My heart almost stopped beating for the second time today when I could hear Bella as she screamed in the background.

**Bella POV**

My parents had been lying to me for a while now. I knew all about their hushed conversations and private meetings with their friends at La Push. I didn't know what was going on, but I did know that they were keeping something from Jacob and me.

I decided that it would be best to go along with what they told me. I figured eventually they would slip up and I would find out everything I needed to know.

It was strange because it wasn't just Jacob and I that had been suspicious about their parents and the old people of La Push, but Quil, Seth, Leah, Paul, Embry, Sam, and Jared also felt the same creepy vibe.

Because of the storm outside, I had to hang around the house. I lied on the couch and watched TV, and must have fallen asleep.

I opened my eyes and was standing in the sand at First Beach. It was cold, windy, and storming. There was no way anyone in their right mind would be out here during something like this.

I felt compelled to keep moving forward, and as I started to walk toward the water, two figures appeared before me. It was Jacob and Catori. I tried to call Jacob's name, but the wind was howling too loudly for my voice to carry. I attempted to run toward him but my legs were frozen in their place. I couldn't get any closer.

I saw Jacob kneel in front of Catori, and she placed her hands on either side of his face. Suddenly, lighting began to strike around them as they were in the water.

I began to scream in horror because I feared they would be electrocuted. I was forced to my knees; I was overwhelmed with images that flashed before my eyes. I saw pale, red-eyed creatures that sparkled in the sunlight, horse sized wolves that ranged in various colors, bonfires, my mom was clutching me with fear in her eyes, and the last image was of me being backed into a corner as I stared into the black eyes of a glittering monster.

The next instant, I wasn't at First Beach anymore, but was in my back yard just beyond the tree line. I was on my knees screaming. Catori was also on her knees, and she was holding me, rocking back and forth.

She whispered in my ear, "A lot is going to be expected of you, young one. You have been chosen to be the mate of the next Great Alpha. You have a special gift. You can see past deceit and what the mind perceives to be normal. Your only weakness is that you attract what is not good for you.

"Look for the signs; they will always lead you in the right direction. Be strong Bella, Jacob will need you more than he has ever needed you before."

I blinked and Catori was gone. I began to scream again because I realized that not only did I have fresh sand in my shoes but I was still in the woods and I was not sleeping…

**As you can see a lot is about to happen. Thank you so much for the reviews. I will never take them for granted. It's an honor that anyone even wants to read this story. **


	10. Chapter 10 Katherine

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Edward POV**

I never expected to fall in love, and I _definitely_ did not expect to fall in love with a human. My family liked to be around humans and tried to blend in as much as possible. But we didn't mingle with them or befriend them; it just wasn't wise or safe. Humans couldn't know about our kind, it went against the rules of the vampire code.

Katherine caught my eye the first time I saw her as she walked across the school parking lot. What initially drew me to her was not her beautiful shiny shoulder length black hair or her curvy long legs or her bright blue eyes, but because I could not read her mind. It drove me mad not knowing what she was thinking. We soon discovered that Alice could not see me and what I was doing when I was around Katherine.

I spent weeks talking to her and getting to know her. Before I realized it, I was in love. Of course this was a problem. Katherine was a human, and I was a vampire. I could not tell her what I was. If I spent too much time with her, then she would begin to put the pieces together, and figure it out on her own. I could not be so selfish as to do that to my family. We would have had to relocate; everyone was happy living here. I decided that I was going to end our friendship, but fate stepped in.

Katherine was standing on the corner waiting to cross the street. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a car that was driving too fast skid on some black ice and headed straight for Katherine. I could not stand there and let her die. I ran at vampire speed and knocked her out of the way before the car could crush her.

Luck was on my side. Everyone rationalized what they thought they saw, thought that I was standing next to Katherine, and pushed her out of the way.

Of course, Katherine didn't fall for that story. She wouldn't back down from what she knew she saw. I was relieved that she was so stubborn. She did her research, and when she realized what I was, she confronted me about it. She still wanted to be my friend.

I started bringing her over to my home and we hung out with my family. Eventually, she won everyone over, even Rosalie, who had never before had any compassion or a kind thought for a human. The more we hung out the more I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I was in love. It had been a hundred years and I had finally found my soul mate.

I eventually shared my feelings with Katherine. I was pleased to know that she felt the same way. To me it was an easy solution, once Katherine graduated from high school we would change her, then we could get married and spend forever together. It was simple to me; she was a ward of the state, and she didn't have any siblings or other family or friends that would even realize that she was gone.

Katherine however, did not want to be changed. She made it clear that she loved me and my family. She didn't consider us monsters, but she enjoyed being human. Maybe in a couple of years she might have changed her mind, but for now she was content with the way things were. I of course, did not agree. It was dangerous allowing Katherine to remain human and be in our world. If it was found out that she knew about us, it would be disastrous, and there was her safety to consider.

Katherine would not budge on her decision. She graduated six months later and we were married. During our honeymoon, Katherine gave me a wonderful gift. She promised that when we went back home, I could change her.

Her only stipulation was to allow her one last human experience; she wanted us to make love while she was still human. Of course, I wanted to tell her no. What Katherine desired was just too dangerous. I could so easily hurt or kill her, but I loved her so much. I could not deny her, so I gave in…

On our honeymoon she conceived. She refused to listen to reason and allow Carlisle to abort the monster that was growing inside of her. She had too much faith in me that when the time came we would be able to save her and the baby. She was so wrong. Yes, we saved the baby, but she died.

I was devastated. I blamed our child for her death. I could not even look at the baby. When I would hear the baby cry, the sound would make me cringe.

As the weeks went on, I began to bury myself in self loathing. I told myself that I was a monster and even though I went out of my way to go against my natural tendencies I still managed to kill a human. I began to ask myself why I should fight what I was meant to be. I made a choice to leave my family and go out into the world and be what I was meant to be, a predator, a stalker, a monster.

I lived that life for eighteen years and then suddenly I realized that I was not a monster because I was a vampire but because of the choices that I made. I walked away from my family and my child. I decided to search for them and hopefully they would be willing to forgive me.

That was six months ago. I'd managed to not talk about what my life was like while I was gone. But I couldn't hide from the horrors of my past any longer. There was one action that I did that could cost my family dearly. I just found out that we were moving back to Forks.

**Carlisle POV**

I was in my study sitting at my desk reading when I heard a knock on the door. I looked up and said, "Come in."

The door slowly opened and my son Edward walked through the door. He had his head down and he flopped into the chair in front of my desk. Ever since Edward had come back I didn't know exactly what I felt toward him. He was always a loner and he seemed to enjoy living in a state of depression, but when Edward met Katherine everything about him changed.

Katherine made Edward happy and he began to look at his vampire life with new eyes. She was the perfect mate for him, and we were so excited that she was a part of our family. Her death took a toll on every one of us. We all loved her very much and to see the pain that Edward was going through was almost too much for us to bear.

It was sad to say, but it was a relief when he left. We all thought that he would leave for a couple of months and once the grieving process ran its course he would come back. After all, he had a child to raise. Even though he'd lost Katherine, he still had a part of her left to love and cherish.

We were all devastated when Alice had a vision of Edward as he stalked and killed a human, and from that moment until now Alice had not been able to see any part of his future.

Edward had gone out of his way to make up for all of the hurt and worry he caused us over the years and he truly regretted leaving his child for us to raise. But when I looked at Edward I didn't know how to feel about him anymore. He came back different. He couldn't read minds anymore, but somehow he'd blocked Alice from seeing his future and he claimed that he didn't know how that was happening. Jasper couldn't manipulate his emotions, and he was able to come into a room undetected. Unless he made his presence known he was invisible.

My son had been very secretive about his life away from us and that had made me uneasy. I sighed and said, "What can I do for you, son?"

Edward did not raise his head but he raised his right hand and pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "I don't think that I will be traveling with you to Forks."

Edward took me off guard with his statement, I stood up and walked around the desk and sat on the edge and asked, "Why?"

"I don't want to be the cause of a war between you and the Quileute Tribe."

"I don't understand Edward, why would you coming with us to Forks cause a war?"

"Several years ago I was passing through Forks; I had no intention of feeding there. I just remembered it being a place that we lived before. I was curious to see what it looked like seventy years later but as I walked though the woods I ran across a young woman and her child. I had planned to just go in the other direction but the wind shifted and I caught their scent.

"The child's scent was like a drug to me. I couldn't resist her. I had never killed a child, but I was going to that day. To make matters worse, I wanted her mother, too. I wanted to change her and make her my mate. I was tired of killing alone. I wanted someone to share my misery with. But a Quileute woman came to their rescue. She cast some kind of spell on me that caused me to retreat. I followed their scent and waited a couple of days to finish what I started but the mother and child were gone.

"From what I could tell she did not tell her husband what she saw but the Quileute knew about what I did. She even referred to the treaty and I told her that I was no longer a part of the Cullen family. I don't want to cause a problem for the rest of you so I'll just stay here and decide what I want to do next."

"Edward, I wish that you would have told me about this sooner. This does complicate things but you are part of this family and we will deal with this together. I will get in contact with the chief of La Push and we will take it from there. You just rejoined us and there is no way that you could leave Chase again."

**Edward POV**

Of course I could not leave Chase again; I didn't deserve my child's forgiveness, yet it was given to me. I was so heartbroken and incapable of caring about anything when Katherine died that I hadn't considered how my actions would affect Chase.

Katherine and I created a miracle, but at the time I didn't appreciate it.

I was also ashamed to admit that I never took the time to remember what the sex of my child was before I left. I couldn't get past the hate that I harbored, knowing that my human wife died giving birth to our son.

When I saw Chase for the first time, I knew who he was right away. I could see Katherine and myself so clearly in his features. He had my wild bronze hair; high cheek bones, straight nose and full lips, but he had Katherine's ice blue eyes and her olive skin. Chase was about 6'2 and he was muscular, but slim like me. His appearance was breathtaking. He surpassed the beauty of any vampire I'd ever seen. He looked human, but at the same time he looked supernatural.

Over the next couple of days, I found out a lot about hybrids and was told that Chase reached his maturity by the age of seven. He had a heartbeat that was faster than a human's, his temperature was a few degrees below a shape shifter and blood ran through his veins. Chase slept every night and was able to eat human food as well as feed on blood.

Chase had marble skin like a vampire and he was venomous; he did not sparkle in the sun like we did, but his skin glowed somewhat in the sunlight. He didn't have to worry about being under cloud cover. Chase was immortal like us. To me, he had the best of both worlds; he could experience being a human and a vampire. His life was not taken from him but this was what he was born into.

Chase and I got along great. Chase accepted my return happily. He reminded me of the Edward that I was before Katherine died. He was a lover of classical music and he could play the piano better than I could. Chase loved to read books and he also liked to write. He tried to find the positive in every situation, and when he was in a room you couldn't help but to want to see life through his eyes.

Chase was a very gifted shield. If he chose, you could be made invisible. He could push his invisibility shield around anyone nearby. As long as you were under his protection, anyone outside of the shield would be powerless to harm you.

Carlisle speculated that some of the gifts that I now had may have always been there, but they were dormant. For whatever reason, when I lost my ability to read minds the other talents surfaced.

One night I took Chase for a walk, and I answered all of his questions concerning the relationship between his mother and me. I was honest with him about my feelings towards him and my reason for leaving. He was hurt but gracious enough to understand how I felt. All that mattered to him was that I was here now and that I wanted to be a part of his life. It was going to take a while for me to accept that I deserved my son's love.

**Chase POV **

Sometimes I wished that my family did not desire to mingle with humans. It made life so complicated. We always had to be mindful of what we said and how we acted. It was a strange way to think, considering I was half human, but my family was totally vampire so that's was what I considered myself. I had the option of eating food, but I chose not to. I preferred the taste of blood.

Sometimes the human part of me made me feel weak. I had to sleep, and even though I was venomous, if another vampire were to bite me, I would die. I had a heartbeat and blood ran through my veins. I was never allowed to go hunting alone, because my family feared that if I ran across nomad vampires that my half vampire status would not matter to them. They would just view me as an interesting snack.

Of course there was also the Volturi to consider. They knew about me. We took a trip as a family to Italy when I was two years old. At the time I looked ten and my family explained how I came into existence. They wanted it on record that I was not an immortal child and that no rules were broken when I was created. Aro was very interested in me, and when I reached maturity he wanted me to consider being a part of his guard. My family never talked about it, but it was assumed that I would never consider being a part of the Volturi guard. I didn't know, I was undecided about if that was something I would want to do.

Because of something my dad did, our move to Forks, which should have been simple, was made very complicated. Everyone was already concerned about how the Quileute Tribe was going to react to my existence, but now they were worried about my dad also. We had a family meeting and it was decided that Carlisle, my dad, and I would take a trip to Forks and meet with the Quileute chief personally.

Alice, of course, was very frustrated, because she couldn't see the outcome of that meeting since both my dad and I blocked her visions.

I was a well mannered, respectful individual. I had always tried to see the positive in all situations but I was not as _good_ as everyone had portrayed me to be. It was one of my many gifts. My faults just didn't show. I could have massacred a whole orphanage of babies and still would have come out smelling like a peach.

I really didn't want to go to this meeting and be questioned and judged about who and what I was. What right did these Quileute have to look down on us and demand anything from us? They turned into _dogs _and had anger issues but we were the bad guys...I'm just sayin'.

For the past five years, we had been in Alaska so we decided to drive down. Carlisle had a job at the hospital in Forks. He decided that the best place to meet would be in a public place that could also be private at the same time. So, once we reached the hospital we went to his office and Carlisle made the necessary phone calls. I hoped that the Quileutes would refuse to meet with us. After my grandfather hung up the phone, he looked at my dad and me and said, "Billy Black, Harry Clearwater, and Charlie Swan are on their way here to meet with us. Please, you two, be on your best behavior and no funny business."

Oh great, let the fun begin…

**Billy POV**

To be honest, I was relieved when Jacob woke up and he was himself again. He did not remember anything about what happened to him on the beach. The last thing he remembered was walking to the beach in the storm and seeing Catori standing along the shoreline. I told him that no one had seen Catori since that day.

Bella experienced the same thing. By the time Charlie got home the day of the storm, Bella was unconscious and she woke up about five minutes after Jacob. Sometimes the best thing to do was not to say anything at all. So every time Jacob had tried to find out why Bella and he had been unconscious for two days and nobody called a doctor, I just chose not to answer him.

I got a phone call from Carlisle Cullen a few minutes ago, informing me that he and his _family _were moving back to Forks. He wanted to meet with me and go over the treaty. He'd accepted a job as a doctor in Forks, so it was arranged that we would meet in his office. I asked him how many vampires were moving to Forks and he said eight. That was three more than our legends indicated. This had me very concerned. I informed him of who would also be attending the meeting with me and we hung up. I immediately called Harry and Charlie to let them know what was going on.

I realized that the weather went along with the mood of the day. It was cloudy and dark and rainy. That was exactly how I felt at the moment. I felt dark and my anger at what these monsters were about to put my family and friends through poured out of me like the rain bursting from the clouds.

I got myself dressed and made some toast and coffee. I woke Jacob up, and told him that I had some business to take care of in Forks and that I would be back in a while. I also told him not to leave the house for any reason. I didn't want to take the chance of him running into any of the Cullens before I met with them.

I heard Harry's truck pull up and I wheeled myself onto the porch. Harry helped me into the truck and put my wheelchair in the truck bed. He pulled out of the driveway and we were on our way to Forks.

Our ride was quiet because we were both lost in our own thoughts. Our lives were about to change and we were both going through the motions of what that would mean to our families and friends. We pulled into the parking lot and Harry parked next to Charlie's cruiser. Harry got my wheelchair and helped me into it. He then proceeded to push me to the hospital entrance.

Charlie was already waiting for us in the lobby. Poor guy, he looked like he hadn't slept in days. His hair was greyer; he had deep bags under his eyes and worry lines etched between his eyebrows. Charlie nodded toward the hallway on our right and said, "His office is down there."

Charlie began to walk in that direction and we followed. We approached a door that had a sign that said _Doctor Carlisle Cullen_ and Charlie knocked. I was expecting to hear someone say, "Come in." But instead, the door swung open and standing before us was, I assumed, Carlisle.

Charlie jumped back, and placed his hand on his gun. My heart jumped because I thought Charlie was going to let loose and empty his pistol trying to shoot this creature. I couldn't blame Charlie for his reaction though, seeing a vampire up close was a little shocking.

This creature was the most handsome being that I had ever seen. He was about 6'2, muscular build, golden eyes, blond hair, and very pale skin. No matter how handsome this vampire was, I could never forget that he was a killer. Because of his kind, our children were going to have to pay a dear price with their lives.

This vampire looked at us and smiled. "Hello, I'm Carlisle, and I am very pleased to meet you. Please, won't you come in?"

He backed into the office and we came through the door. The office was a nice size. Carlisle walked back behind his desk and sat down. He pointed toward the couch that was along the wall and said, "Please, gentlemen, have a seat."

Charlie and Harry both sat down, but stayed very close to the edge. I wheeled myself in front of his desk and said, "I am William Black, the descendent of Ephraim Black and the current chief of La Push. Sitting on the couch are one of the Councilmen Harry Clearwater and Chief of Police Charlie Swan."

Carlisle went still for a few seconds and began to stare at Charlie. This was making Charlie nervous again, and I could see him moving his hand toward his hip. Carlisle cleared his throat, and while still looking at Charlie he said, "Did I hear your introduction correctly? I am a little confused, why is someone who is not Quileute here for this meeting?"

Charlie's face turned red. He stood up slowly and walked toward the desk. "I'm here because one of the vampires from _your_ coven tried to murder my wife and child. Because of _your _coven my family was torn apart. I am here to make sure that my family and every other family in Forks and La Push are safe from the likes of you. Someone in your coven exposed your secret and that is why I am here."

I cleared my throat to catch Charlie's attention. He looked at me and I gave him a stern look and jerked my head towards the couch. He said, "Sorry Billy", and walked back to the couch and sat down.

I looked at Carlisle and said, "Our legends record only five of you. Where did the other three come from?"

"Yes, at one time there were only five of us. Seventy years ago it was Esme my wife, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie and I. After we moved away from Forks, another couple joined us, Alice and Jasper.

"Some years back, our son Edward married a human, and she conceived a child. The mother died during childbirth but the infant survived. His name is Chase."

There was silence. None of us expected to hear this craziness. How was it possible for a vampire to father a child?

I began to grip my arm rests very tightly and said in a very strained voice, "You want to bring your sick experiment to Forks and let it loose among our people? To honor the memory of my forefathers I was obligated to allow you to reside here. But I draw the line at letting a half human, half vampire among our family and friends."

Carlisle shook his head and said, "It's not what you think. Yes, he does have vampire qualities but he is also human. His heart beats, he has blood running though his veins, he eats food, and he sleeps. If he is bitten by a vampire the venom would kill him."

I wasn't buying this crap. He said he had vampire _qualities_. So I asked, "If he bites a human will it change them?"

"Yes."

"Does he drink blood?"

"Yes."

"Is he immortal?"

"Yes."

"Then he _is_ a danger to our people. To me he is more dangerous because he will blend in more. The council is going to have to talk about this, but I do have another question. The vampire that went rogue and began to kill humans, is he back with you?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Six months."

This was unbelievable, was he serious? We were supposed to trust that he had these bloodthirsty killers under control?

Carlisle leaned back in his chair and he said, "Before you meet with your council and make a final decision, Edward and Chase are here. They came with me so that you could see them for yourselves. Is it okay if I call them in?"

"Go ahead."

Carlisle picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. As he continued to look at me he said into the phone, "Edward, you and Chase can come up to my office now."

**I hope you liked this chapter. I know I hopped from Bella and Jacob to Edward but you had to know his background to prepare for the next couple of chapters. Like always thank you for the reviews. **

**Next chapter will have a little Bella-Jacob interaction.**


	11. Chapter 11 Those Blood Suckers Are Crazy

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Charlie POV**

When Carlisle hung up the phone, Billy turned his wheelchair around and wheeled toward Harry and me. He stopped directly in front of me and we locked eyes.

He was giving me a chance to get up and walk out of this room before they walked in. I wanted to leave. I was not ready to face the thing that ripped my family apart, but the spirits of La Push picked my family to be a part of this supernatural war. So that meant they believed we were capable of facing this craziness head on.

Billy was also letting me know if I chose to stay, I would have to control myself. I squared my shoulders and mouthed, "I'm okay."

Billy turned his chair around but he didn't roll back toward Carlisle's desk.

The door opened slowly and they walked into the room. Walking really was not the accurate description, they seemed to glide. Watching them was like watching a carefully choreographed ballet. Their movements were so graceful and nonthreatening. I didn't feel like I thought I would. I thought that I would have to fight to restrain myself and keep it together. Instead, I looked at these creatures and thought to myself, they weren't that bad.

**Billy POV**

Once the bloodsuckers came into the office, they walked directly to the other side of the room closest to Carlisle's desk and sat down. Carlisle stood up and walked around his desk. He looked toward the other two vampires and said, "Billy, Harry, and Charlie, this is my son, Edward and my grandson, Chase."

The vampire that was Carlisle's complexion looked at us and said, "Pleased to meet you." I noticed that the other vampire did not say anything. He just sat in his chair and looked at us. I looked at the vampire called Edward and asked, "Why did you rejoin your coven?"

"I came back because I didn't like what I had become. I missed my family and wanted to be a father to my son."

"Why should we trust that this is not some kind of trick just to come back and finish the job that you started?"

"I don't think that there is anything that I can say to convince you to believe that I mean you no harm. What I did in the forest that day was unforgivable. I am grateful that I was stopped and the mother and child were saved and protected from me."

Edward looked toward Charlie and said, "I tore your family apart and ruined your happiness and for that I am sorry. I don't expect you to forgive or believe me. I don't deserve your forgiveness. Just please don't punish my family for the horrible things that I did in my past."

I interrupted the vampire and said, "You are right, there is nothing that you can say to convince us that you are not a threat."

I turned away from him and looked at the half vampire - half human. I was right to believe that he was a threat. He didn't have the same vampire look as the other two did. He looked _alive._ His eyes were not the same butterscotch color that the other blood suckers had but his were a whitish blue color. I didn't feel unease when I looked at him and because of that, I knew he was very, very dangerous.

He watched me as I looked at him and asked, "Is there something that you would like to ask me?"

"Which part of your existence do you embrace the most?"

"My vampire side."

"Why?"

"Why not? I was raised and loved by vampires. It would seem that would be the natural path that I would take. The only parts of me that are human are the physical parts. You assume that I must loathe my vampire side and wish that I was completely human. I like what I am."

"I hope you realize that you are not helping your cause, don't you think that it would have been in your best interest to play up your human side to prove you are not a threat?"

"The fact that I am being completely honest with you should show that I am not a threat. I could tell you what you want to hear, but I don't feel like wasting my time in that manner. These are the facts; I was raised to respect the human race. I have never even come close to killing a human, and I don't have the desire to."

"How old are you?"

"According to you, I would be eighteen. I reached my maturity eleven years ago. I have stopped aging. I will look like an eighteen year old for the rest of my existence."

"Do you have a mate?"

"No."

"What would happen if you fathered a child with a human?"

"That child would have both vampire and human qualities, just like me, I would assume."

I turned to Carlisle and said, "We won't fight your move back to Forks, but there is a modification to the treaty. In addition to staying off Quileute land your family is to also stay away from the Swan residence."

"We can go along with those terms. Thank you for your understanding."

I didn't respond. I turned toward Charlie and Harry and said, "Let's go."

**Bella POV**

Ever since I woke up five days ago, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to change drastically. I hadn't been able to remember how I ended up in the woods behind my house, during the storm, and my parents wouldn't tell me why I was unconscious for days, or why they didn't feel the need to take me to the hospital.

They treated Jacob the same way; this whole situation had put a strain between Jacob and me. We talked on the phone every night this week, but there was more silence than conversation. Whatever happened to us during that storm had altered us but I was scared that it would cause Jacob and me to go in separate directions.

I heard the phone ring downstairs. I didn't bother to get up and answer it because if it was for me they would have called my cell phone. A few minutes later, my mom popped her head into my room and said, "Bella, your dad is going to a meeting in Forks with Billy and Harry. Get dressed please, I'm dropping you off at Billy's and I'm going to hang out with Sue for a while."

"Okay, Mom."

I walked to my closet to figure out what to wear. I decided on a pair of blue skinny jeans, white tank top and red hoodie. Once I was dressed, I slipped on a pair of red flip-flops and ran downstairs.

Renee was sitting down at the kitchen table with her face in her hands. I rushed over to her and said, "Mom, what's wrong?"

She didn't say anything at first. I could see that her hands were shaking and she was taking deep long breaths. After a moment she looked at me with glossy eyes and said, "I got some news today that scared me a little, but I'm going to be okay."

"Should I call Dad and have him come home?"

"No, Charlie is already dealing with it. Everything is going to be fine."

How could I believe her when she didn't sound like she believed what she said herself? Renee stood up, grabbed her keys and purse and said, "Let's go, sweetheart."

Once we got into the car, I pulled out my cell phone and called Jacob. It rang until the voicemail picked up. Once I heard the beep, I said, "Jacob, it's Bella. I just wanted to let you know that Renee and I are on our way to La Push and she's dropping me off at your house. I hope you're home. Please call me back."

"Mom, he didn't answer. He might not be home."

"He's home. Billy told Jacob not to leave the house while he was gone. Maybe he's in the shower or something."

The rest of our ride was silent. We pulled into the driveway and Jacob was sitting on the porch steps. He didn't get up and run to the car and yank me out into a hug like he usually did. He just sat on the porch and looked at us with expressionless eyes. For a moment I forgot what to do until my mom said, "Bella, I'll be back to pick you up in a little while."

I nodded and opened my door and stepped out of the car. My mom leaned her head out the window and yelled, "Hi Jacob!" He looked at her and nodded. Renee pulled out of the drive way and drove away. My legs felt like they had lead weights keeping them in their spot. Jacob stared at me with no expression on his face. My chest was beginning to hurt. I feared that he was going to tell me that he didn't want to be my friend anymore.

Jacob stood up slowly, never breaking eye contact. He continued to look at me until I couldn't take it anymore and I looked down. I heard the front door open and Jacob said, "Are you coming, Bella?"

I wanted to shake my head "no" and run in the opposite direction. I wanted to do whatever it took to not allow Jacob to tell me that he didn't want to be my friend anymore. But, like always, I couldn't go the other way. I was drawn to him. I needed to be in his presence even if he was going to break my heart.

I forced one foot in front of the other and eventually I made it up the porch steps and into the house. I closed the front door and leaned against it. There had never been a time when I did not feel welcome here but at this moment I didn't know how to feel. The atmosphere was charged with an energy that I had never felt before; it was so overwhelming that I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin.

Jacob stood by the couch with his back to me. He was shaking slightly. He turned around and crossed the distance between us before I could blink. He was so close to me that I could feel the heat radiating off of him. I couldn't breathe because what I saw in his eyes was almost too much for me to bear. They were not my Jacob's eyes but the eyes of something wild and hungry. He looked like he wanted to possess me, and what surprised me the most was that instead of being afraid, I was beginning to want him to do whatever it was his eyes were expressing.

He put a hand on either side of my face and his lips crashed onto mine. An electric shock went through my body and images began to flash before my eyes. I saw wolves running in the forest chasing something that was running so fast that it was just a white blur, then I saw Jacob cradling me in his arms and I was crying, I saw Renee standing between me and the most beautiful creature that I had ever seen, the images disappeared when I felt Jacob lifting me off of the ground. I didn't realize that I had wrapped my arms around his neck and our lips were still locked together.

Jacob slowly put me down and pulled his lips from mine. He did not let go of my waist though. After a moment he said, "Bella, I love you. You mean the world to me. I don't know what is going on, but I feel like our lives are about to change. I want to make sure that you know that where ever these changes lead me, I have to have you by my side."

I looked at Jacob and tears fell down my face. "Jacob, I've been by your side since the first day I met you in La Push. You are my sun, and my reason for breathing. Without you, I am nothing. I love you, too. No matter what happens, I need you to know that nothing will ever keep me from you."

Jacob grabbed my hand and walked me to the couch. We sat down and I snuggled up against him and that is where I stayed until Billy and Charlie walked through the door. Billy and my dad looked at us and then at each other, high five'd and said, "About time!"

**Chase POV**

When the humans left the office, my dad looked at me and said, "Having you around makes things so much easier. They would not be too pleased if they knew that the only reason they gave in so easily was because of your gift to cause people to see only the good in you."

"Yeah, well they made it easy."

I looked at Carlisle and said, "They didn't say it, but since they don't want us hanging around the Swan residence, that must mean the mother and daughter have come back."

"Yeah, that is what I was thinking. Edward, you are going to have to be careful. I know that the child's blood sang to you and if that is the case then it will be very hard to resist wanting her blood."

"I know. I believe that I am strong enough to resist. I have too much at stake to mess up now."

"So, Granddad, are we going to stick to the original plan?"

"Yes, I guess we will stick to the plan."

I was glad he didn't bother to ask me why I wanted to know. I asked because I realized the child that my dad almost killed would be a teenager now, which meant that she went to Forks High and so would I.

**Permanent beta's from PTB: Wolfskill and DreaC**

**Thanks for the reviews and on going support!**


	12. Chapter 12 I'm Not Alone

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

_Three Weeks Later…_

**Bella POV**

I was losing my mind. That was the only explanation I could come up with for why I felt like there was always something _with me _when I was in my room. I could swear I'd felt something cold brush my cheek once and I felt like I was being watched.

I hadn't told anyone about this, of course. They would just think that I was crazy. I spent as little time as possible in my room. I pretended to want to hang out with my dad while he watched the news, or I hung out with my mom in her office while she graded papers. There was enough drama going on right now on La Push. I didn't need to add to it by freaking my family out with my craziness.

Jake, Sam, and Paul ran a very high fever for the past week. Two days ago - the last time I saw Jacob - he must have had the chills also because he was shaking.

We were hanging out in the living room, because Billy refused to let Jacob out of his sight. He said that he was keeping an eye on Jacob in case the fever got worse and he needed to see a doctor.

I was telling him about school and how irritated I was with Mike Newton. Almost every week Mike asked me out and I always told him no. Although he knew that Jacob and I were together, Newton still wouldn't let up. Well, today was the last straw.

I was standing in front of my locker pulling books out when suddenly I felt someone behind me. He grabbed me by my waist and pulled me toward him roughly. I felt a slight bulge rub against my back. This surprised me and I dropped my books.

I screeched, "What the hell!"

Whoever was behind me lowered their head so that I could feel their breath on my ear and they whispered, "You feel that? That's what you do to me every time I see you. Why don't you stop being such a tease and give me a chance. Jacob is just a boy; I could teach you a couple of things."

I yanked myself out of his grip, turned around and slapped Mike Newton across his face so hard it should have turned him stupid permanently.

"Jacob could run circles around you any day of the week. There is nothing that you have that I would ever want. If you ever touch me ever again, I will kick you so hard in your nonexistent nuts that you will be sounding like a Teletubby for the rest of your life."

I expected Jacob to laugh because he always teased me about how much Mike liked me, but instead the pupils of his eyes became darker, and he started to shake. He stood up abruptly and yelled, "What the hell, Bella? He's dead! I'm going to kill him…"

"No, Jacob, everything is fine. I took care of it. Mike won't bother me anymore. You need to calm down; it's not that serious."

"Really! Some creep is feeling up on my girl and I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

Billy and Charlie rushed into the room and my dad said, "Bella, I think it's time for us to go home now. Please go wait in the car."

The look he gave me let me know that there was no room for argument. I looked at Jacob and said, "Good-bye. Jake, I'll call you when I get home."

I walked to the cruiser and got in. Five minutes later my dad came out. When we made it home, my mom was waiting on the porch with a look of anticipation. She looked at my dad and said, "Well?" He shook his head. I heard my mom mumble under her breath, "I sure thought that would have sent him over the edge." I gave my mom a weird look.

She looked at me and said, "What?"

**Renee POV**

Not everyone got a second chance at love. I was grateful that Charlie and I were able to rekindle the love that we had for each other. I thought about all of the lonely nights that I quietly cried myself to sleep because I missed the life that Bella and I had with Charlie. I hated myself for the pain that I had to put Charlie through in order to keep us safe. I was so grateful for the phone call that changed our lives and brought us back together.

_It was another hot day in Phoenix. I was in the backyard planting some flowers when my cell phone rang. I got up and walked to the back step and picked it up to answer it._

"_Hello, this is Renee."_

"_Renee, it's Catori."_

"_Hi, Catori, I haven't heard from you in a while. Is everything okay?"_

"_What are you doing right now?"_

"_I'm in my backyard, planting flowers."_

"_I need you to sit down; I have a couple of things to discuss with you…"_

_I ended up talking on the phone with her for an hour. She told me about the Quileute legends concerning the werewolves and the cold ones. She also told me about what happened between my daughter and Jacob, and how Charlie was freaked out. She told me that I was going to have to come to Forks, and tell the real reason why I left and took Bella with me._

_When I got off the plane in Seattle I picked up my car rental and drove to Charlie's as fast as I could. I was so nervous. Charlie and I did not talk much, and when we did, Charlie always had a lot of hostility toward me. But right now I was the only one that could get through to him so I would just have to deal with whatever he threw at me._

It worked out in the end. We were back together and were now a family again. It was hard to deal with the fact that our worst nightmare was indeed real, but we'd learned to take each day at a time and dealt with it.

I worked at Forks High as an art teacher. I guessed because I was so laid back a lot of the students were very comfortable with me and they talked about things that were going on in the school. It didn't take long for me to find out about what Mike Newton did to my daughter. I was very angry and I wanted him suspended, arrested, and hung up by his toes.

The first opportunity I got, I called Charlie and demanded that he come to the school and deal with this. He asked me if Bella had gotten hurt and I told him no; he asked me if Bella had handled it and I told him that she had. Charlie told me that he would call me back and hung up. I thought that he was on his way and I began to smile as I imagined Charlie cornering that punk and threatening to pistol whip him if he ever looked at our daughter again.

Ten minutes later, Charlie called me back and told me that he would meet us after school to pick Bella up. He was going to Billy's and he wanted to take Bella with him.

I asked him, "What are you going to do about the Newton kid? He can't get away with this!"

"Renee, I'm not coming up there and embarrassing our daughter like that. She dealt with it. I doubt he'll do it again."

"Why are you taking Bella to La Push on a school night anyway?"

"Jacob is on the brink of phasing. He just needs that one thing to push him over the edge. Jacob is very protective of Bella. When he hears about this, he should blow his top."

"Are you listening to yourself? You want to use our daughter to get her boyfriend to lose control and turn into a giant werewolf in front of her. Possibly kill or maim her?"

"Renee, we'll be careful. It will be a controlled environment. This needs to happen soon. The Cullens will be moving here within the next couple of days. The pack needs to start getting prepared. Trust me, Bella will be safe."

Bella was very safe. Even though Jacob was angry enough to phase, he didn't because Bella was there. His instinct was to love and protect her, and phasing so close to her would have possibly harmed her. So I guess we would have to come up with another plan.

**One Week Later**

**Jacob POV**

I was going stir crazy. I'd been confined to the house for the past two weeks because I had a fever that would not go down. I didn't feel sick, I was just hot and sometimes I got the shakes. Sue Clearwater had come by several times to check on me and she said there was nothing that we could do but let it run its course but my dad seemed to think that I was contagious and he wouldn't let me go anywhere.

I hadn't seen Bells since the day she told me about what Mike Newton did to her. Every time I thought about it, I got so angry. The night that she told me after she walked out of the house, I felt such a pint up rage I began to see red, my breathing started to get faster and all I wanted to do was leave the house and find that bastard and kill him. I needed to find a way to release some of my aggression so I stalked to my room, and slammed my fist into the wall which caused a big hole.

My father wasn't too pleased about that and he made me pay for the repairs out of my allowance money. As a punishment, I wasn't able to use the phone or computer, which meant that I wasn't able to talk to Bells. I missed her so much. I'd been trying to be on my best behavior so he would take me off punishment.

I walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My dad was outside with Quil Sr. and Harry. Billy saw me through the window and yelled, "Jacob, can you come out here a minute please?" I put my glass down and I walked out the back door.

"Yeah, Dad."

"Have a seat on the step, son; we need to talk to you about something."

I sat down and wondered what was going on. They all looked at me like the world was about to end.

Billy took a deep breath; he looked like he was trying to think about how to say what ever was on his mind.

"Son, I love you, and as your father I have to make choices that are best for you. There has been a situation going on that I have been ignoring, because at the time, I was more concerned about your happiness than what was right for our people.

"You well know that you are next in line to be Chief of La Push. That is not just a title, son, but it will mean that the choices that you make will affect all of La Push and future generations to come. Son, as much as it hurts me to say this, you are going to have to break up with Bella.

"She is not one of us. She does not understand our way of life. She is a good family friend, but it's impossible that she is your soul mate."

This had to be some kind of joke. There was no way that I was hearing my dad right. It had always been understood that someday Bella and I would be together. My dad and I had several conversations about it over the years. He encouraged it. He was happy when Bella and I finally made it official that we were a couple.

"Dad, you're not making sense. Charlie and Renee are like second parents to me. Bella is like a daughter to you. You gave me your blessing concerning Bella. Bella is perfect for me because she _is_ my soul mate. There is no one else for me. If I'm not with her then I won't be with anyone; not having Bella in my life would be like me not breathing."

Quil Sr. spoke up, "Isabella Swan is just a pale-faced girl from Forks, after a couple of months you will forget about her. She is beneath you. You will be chief one day, and you need someone by your side that would be worth that title."

I stood quickly. My body trembled and my heart raced, I roared loudly, "There is nothing that you can do or say that will keep me from Bella! You can disown me, but I will not break up with her!"

"You're just a child, Jacob; I'm your father. If I say you and Isabella are done then that is it. If I have to end my friendship with Charlie and Renee to make sure that you do as I say, I will. I know what's best for you."

I heard a growl and realized that it was coming from me. Every part of my body started to hurt. I "exploded" and had _paws_ instead of feet.

I faintly heard my dad say, "We did it."

**Edward POV**

Before we started our new life in Forks, the whole family decided to go on a hunting trip. I wanted to spend some extra time with Chase to talk, so we traveled in a different direction from the rest of the family. Ever since the meeting we had at the hospital, I hadn't been able to let go of some of what Chase had to say and I needed to get some clarity from him.

I was worried; I had no idea that Chase's contempt for humans was so deep. I blamed myself for this, of course. I should have been there for him when he was growing up. My family tried their best, but I was the one that was with Katherine. I should have been the one to help him love the human part of himself.

He needed to know that the human part of him was just as good and important as the vampire side; they both made him who he was. His mother was the greatest example of strength that I had ever known. She carried Chase to term knowing that giving him a chance at life would more than likely kill her but her love for him had no boundaries.

On the other hand, I had wanted to end his life so that she could live. I had wanted to change her to make everything simpler for everyone, but she had refused. She took a risk with her life every day that she spent time with me and my family, but she never faltered. Yeah, some people would say that she was crazy, not strong, but I begged to differ.

We were running through the forest. I was in front and Chase was following close behind me. We ran past a group of trees into a clearing. I came to a stop and sat down on a boulder.

Chase stopped and sat next to me.

I looked into Chase's eyes. "I admire your grandfather. He chose not to be a monster. Chose not to kill humans. Do you understand? Carlisle, your grandfather… He chose a path that was almost impossible_._

"Because of him, there were dozens of vampires that had chosen the same path that he had. Of course, we all had our own reasons for adapting to the vegetarian lifestyle.

"At first, I chose not to kill humans because that was what Carlisle did. I admired him and I knew in order for me to stay in his life that was the lifestyle that I would also have to adapt to. Plus, back then I could hear their voices and the couple of times that I did slip and give in to the monster in me I had to endure the last moments of their agonizing thoughts as they played over and over in my head. That was enough to keep me from killing humans.

"My reason for my diet choice now is quite simply that it made my life less complicated. The point I am trying to get at is this, I have a reason for denying my natural desires and that is what has kept me grounded. My question to you son is, why do you resist killing humans?"

Chase didn't answer me right away; he tilted his head to the side and stared at me with a mischievous look on his face. He took a breath and said, "Let's not talk about me, let's talk about you for a bit. Why do _you_ smell like Isabella Swan?

**Chase POV**

I expected my dad to be shocked, outraged, or amused when I asked about Isabella, but what he did had me at a loss for words, and that's not very easy to do.

Instead, my dad raised one of his arms and brought it towards his nose and inhaled. A deep growl came from his chest and his eyes were no longer amber, but they turned black and rolled to the back of his head. I could smell the venom that had begun to collect in his mouth. He waited a few seconds and said," Isabella Swan is my singer."

My dad stood up suddenly with his hands clenched into fists and whispered, "I know you've heard the story about me almost killing her when she was just a child. Even when I was at my worst I never considered killing children, but when I came across her scent nothing else mattered to me but sinking my teeth into her neck and sucking her dry. Tasting her blood would be like having the finest wine in the world."

At vampire speed my dad caught a bird that flew by; he broke its neck and sucked it dry. When he was done he threw the bird toward the woods and went back to the boulder and sat down and continued to speak.

"The thirst I had for her was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I wanted her so badly. I spent several years after that searching for another human that had that same effect on me, but it never happened again."

We were silent for a couple of minutes. Right when I was about to say something my dad cut me off and sighed, "She doesn't deserve to die because I find her scent irresistible, so I've been sneaking into her room at night just so that I could get used to her smell. Alice, Carlisle, and Jasper knew what I was doing. Jasper came with me the first couple of times to make sure I did not lose it and kill her. He kept my thirst under control. It was a struggle for him, too, because he could feel my bloodlust. So I guess we helped make each other stronger.

"I didn't know how it happened but she knew I was there. There had been times when I walked by her, and she turned in my direction and looked directly at me. I knew that she couldn't see me but she could sense my presence. She was starting to avoid her room and hang out with her parents. I didn't want her to freak out and tell her parents. They would have figured out that one of us was hanging around her room."

I realized that I didn't like my father hanging around Isabella. I was okay with it when I thought he was stalking her and plotting to kill her. Now that I know it was because he was drawn to her scent and was trying to overcome it, I didn't like it.

I asked, "Hey Dad, are you starting to have feelings for her? Because she's your singer, do you want to be with her?"

My dad started laughing and shook his head. "No, I have no romantic feelings toward Isabella. I want her blood and that's all. She's not my type."

"Well, aren't you going to ask me how I even know what she smells like? Don't you want to know if I've been creeping around her house and stalking her?"

"Chase, that's not your style. You're too direct for that. I've never known you to creep around and do anything. If you wanted to see Isabella Swan you would just do it. I could ask, demand, and attempt to beat an answer out of you, but until you are ready to tell me anything it would just be a waste of both our time. Trust me, even though I am your dad, I am under no illusion that I can make you do anything you don't want to do."

"A part of you being my father is directing and guiding my actions, to make sure that I am following the right path in life. When are you going to accept that you have the right to demand that I be accountable to you? When you ask me a question, I should have to answer you. Acting like my father is not going to cause me to hate you.

"I didn't go against the treaty and creep around Isabella. I caught her scent on her father when we had the meeting and I've smelled it on you several times over the past couple of days. I was just guessing that it was her.

"I don't have a clear reason as to why I don't kill humans. Except that I do it out of respect for the mother that gave her life so that I may live. I honor her sacrifice by not killing her kind."

I could tell that was _not _the answer he wanted to hear, but it was the truth.

**Angela POV**

From the time that my parents dropped me off at school, I could tell that today was going to be filled with excitement.

A silver Volvo pulled into the parking lot and some of the most beautiful people that I had ever seen got out of the car. I rushed to the admissions building because I knew that was where they would be going to first. I had gotten a note yesterday that there would be new students today, and since I was part of the welcome committee I would be assigned someone.

I opened the door to the office. Jessica, Ben, and Bella were already standing by the counter, waiting patiently for the new students to arrive. Jessica stepped toward me and handed me a paper. I looked it over and saw that I would be showing around someone named Edward Cullen. I asked my friends who they had. Ben said he had Jasper Hale, Jessica had Alice Cullen and Bella had Chase Cullen. Soon after, the door opened and I heard several gasps all around me.

The people that stood before us were unnaturally beautiful; they were perfect. Ben stepped forward. "Hello, welcome to Forks High. We are part of the welcome committee. Each of you has been assigned a buddy today. They will help you find all of your classes and be available to answer any questions about the school you may have."

The only girl in the group stepped forward and I noticed that we all took a step back. She said, "Hello, my name is Alice. Standing to my left is Jasper, and on my right are my brothers Edward and Chase. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

We all paired off with our assigned students, and as I walked Edward out of the office he touched his brother Chase on the shoulder and he said, "Behave yourself."

Chase inhaled deeply, winked at Edward and whispered, "I'll try, but I may feel like having a little wine tonight."

**Permanent Betas from PTB Wolfskill and DreaC**

**Thanks for the reviews!**


	13. Chapter 13 Mine Forever

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chase POV**

I woke up this morning as Alice bounced on my bed, and sang in her most annoying high-pitched voice, "Chase, it's time to get up! Oh, I'm so excited it's our first day of school at Forks High!"

I groaned, and rolled over onto my stomach and forced my face into my pillow. "Go away, Alice. You have a lot of nerve coming in here and waking me up."

"Oh, stop being such a cranky pants; you can't sleep your day away, silly."

Alice got off of my bed but she didn't have the decency to leave. She walked to the head of my bed and knelt down next to where my head was and chanted, "Get up, get up, get up, get up!"

I growled, rolled back over onto my back and pressed my hands to my eyes. "For the love of everything holy, Alice, will you please get the hell out of my room? I am half human, I have to actually _sleep,_ not just give the appearance that I sleep. But that is _impossible_ to do when _some vampires_ won't express their love for each other less enthusiastically. Damn, Alice, you and Jasper sounded like you were goin' at it in my closet instead of down the hall."

Alice leaned forward, kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, "I think you're just frustrated because all you had to do was _sleep_."

I didn't bother to dignify that with an answer. Alice walked over to my closet, opened the doors and pulled out a black garment bag. She placed it carefully on the edge of my bed, and as she walked toward my door she turned her head toward me and said, "You know the drill. First day of school I get to pick out your outfit. You will be pleased; the little human girls won't be able to take their eyes off you."

"I don't need you to dress me for that to happen. I look good no matter what I have on."

Alice laughed as she walked out the door. It wasn't funny because I was serious.

An hour later I was dressed in Calvin Klein low rise slim fit blue jeans, a grey button-down long sleeve shirt and a pair of grey Diesel sneakers. Of course, Alice came back to my room and made sure that I was dressed to her liking. She even fussed about how I should wear my hair. I didn't know why she bothered though because I have the same habit that my dad did. I ran my fingers through it a lot so it always had that messy I just got out of bed look. I gave Alice her props though. She had a good eye for fashion and we always looked good. Sometimes I just wanted to put together the worst outfit I could come up with, say Alice did it and work my gift on her that caused her think everything was all good. One of granddad's rules was that I wasn't allowed to trick my family. I used my gift to my advantage a lot when I was younger and it caused too much confusion for everyone and almost got us into a lot of trouble once.

Granddad had already gone to the hospital, so it was just Esme that stood at the door waiting to see us leave. As we each walked by her, she told us good-bye and gave us a hug. She gave my dad an extra squeeze and a peck on the cheek. We got into my dad's Volvo and headed off to school.

The ride was quiet. I spent my time looking out the window. It wasn't raining but it was cloudy. We were surrounded by trees on both sides of the road. It was calming. I loved nature, the various smells and sounds. Sometimes I wished that I was able to just run off and be by myself, surrounded by nature. No one in my household appreciated nature like I did.

They usually just wanted to hurry up seek out their food, kill it, suck it dry, and go home. My dad did humor me though. He knew how much I liked nature, and he'd spend hours with me out in the forest but he'd usually be lost in his own thoughts or tried to use that time to talk to me. I guess it was the human part of me that was able to experience all the sensations of the forest as a vampire that had me so hooked.

It should have taken us thirty minutes to get to school, but due to my dad's fast driving skills it only took us ten before we were pulling into Forks High parking lot. It was a typical small town, brick building high school. We were early so there weren't a lot of students in the parking lot yet. Esme told us we were expected to go to the office, and there were students there that would be showing us around for the day.

Everyone in the wonderful land of Forks believed that Carlisle and Esme were a young married couple who took it upon themselves to adopt foster kids. Jasper and Rosalie were supposed to be twins and their last name was Hale. Emmett was Alice's older brother. My dad and I were supposed to be brothers also. Rosalie and Emmett decided that they didn't want to do high school but enrolled in college instead. We wouldn't see them until summer break.

Jasper and my dad were seniors and Alice and I were juniors. I hate that we had to go through so much just to fit in. I got tired of lying all of the time. It didn't seem to matter any way. No matter how much a vampire tried to be normal we were not normal. Humans could sense that and they stayed away from us.

We all got out of the car and looked for the sign that would direct us to the school office. I heard Jasper say that he saw it and we all followed him. We made it to the office entrance and just before Jasper was about to open the door my dad whispered, "She's in there."

Jasper turned around and touched my dad on his shoulder.

"We talked about this, Edward. You know what to do." He then turned back toward the door and opened it. As we started to walk in, we heard gasping and then total silence. There were four teenagers staring at us with wide eyes and open mouths.

The bravest of the four stepped forward and introduced himself as Ben and explained to us who they were. Alice stepped forward and they all took a step back. It was very hard not to crack a smile. She introduced us and then we were assigned to our buddy for the day.

A young girl who looked like she got dressed in the dark walked toward me and held her hand out to shake mine.

"Hello, my name is Isabella Swan, but everyone calls me Bella. Welcome to Forks High."

"Hi, Bella, my name is Chase Cullen; it's a pleasure to meet you."

I could understand why my dad said that Isabella was not his type. She was the complete opposite of what he liked. He liked tall women that had a little color and were a little aggressive.

Isabella was short, skinny, and almost as pale as a vampire. She wasn't ugly but she was rather plain. I was very disappointed; my expectations of her were higher than this, even though she was a human. Her scent, on the other hand, was mind-blowing. All humans smell good to me, but this was amazing. I felt sorry for my dad because the sensation that he got had to be a thousand times worse.

This was unbelievable; I never thought that I would be given Isabella Swan on a silver platter. I expected her to be so well protected that getting close to her would be like breaking into Fort Knox. I knew that I would meet her eventually, but I never expected it to be today as soon as I got to school.

Isabella interrupted my thoughts when she asked, "So, Chase, since school doesn't start for another twenty minutes would you like a tour? I could show you around and answer any questions that you may have."

"Sure, I'd like that, Bella." I gave her one of my sexy smiles that always had a tendency to make girls stutter. She gave me a blank stare, turned around and walked out the office with me following close behind. My dad touched my shoulder and told me to behave. I decided to be a smart-ass so I said, "I think I may want a little wine tonight." Jasper knew I was joking and I heard him snickering.

**Bella POV**

I missed Jacob. I hadn't seen him since the Mike Newton mess. I regret that I told him about it because he got so angry he punched a hole in the wall, and got put on punishment.

I haven't been away from him for so long before since we moved back to Forks. It was starting to affect me. I had a hard time sleeping, I didn't want to eat anything and I couldn't concentrate in class. I found out yesterday that a new family had moved to Forks and I was assigned to help make them feel welcome. I was not in the mood to be nice and show anyone around.

I went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of old jeans that I usually only wore around the house and an oversized hoodie that I took from Jacob the last time he came to visit me. I took a quick shower and combed my hair into a messy ponytail. I looked a hot mess, but I didn't care.

I stayed in my room until the last minute, because if my mom saw me like this she would have made me change my clothes and put some make-up on. When I did finally come down, my mom was busy collecting her purse and keys. I followed her out the door and to the car. That was when she saw me. She had a look of utter disgust on her face.

"Isabella Marie Swan, what do you have on? If we weren't going to be late, I would make you go back upstairs and change. How could you want to look like that?"

"How I look isn't very important to me right now."

We got into the car and my mom drove off. She lectured me the whole way to school about how I couldn't let how my relationship with Jacob went define who I was. I couldn't stop living because I hadn't seen him in a couple of days. I didn't bother to respond because there was no way I could get her to understand what it was like for me.

Once we pulled into the parking lot, I told my mom good-bye and walked to the office. Jessica and Ben were already there. Jessica frowned as she looked me up and down and asked, "Bella, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well you kind of look like you had a rough night or something."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Mrs. Peterson came around the counter and gave us each a slip with one of the new student's name on it. I read mine and it said "Chase Cullen". We didn't get a lot of excitement in Forks so the Cullens had been a hot topic the past couple of days. The father worked at the hospital and everyone was saying how he looked more like a model than a doctor. All of the nurses were falling over themselves trying to get his attention. Everyone thought it was commendable that such a young married couple would want to adopt so many teenagers.

A little while later, Angela showed up and Jessica gave her the paper that would have her buddy on it. When the door opened and the Cullens walked in I could not help gasping. It was unreal how beautiful they all were. The guys were tall. Two of them had bronze colored hair and the other one had blond. There was one girl that was short with black spiky hair. They all had golden eyes except for one of them. His eyes were blue.

Ben spoke up and introduced himself and then the short spiky-haired girl introduced herself as Alice and pointed out the names of her siblings. The blond-haired guy's name was Jasper he looked laid back and unconcerned about what was going on around him. I looked at the guy named Edward. He looked a little uncomfortable and was looking at me instead of Angela. I then looked at Chase and noticed that he resembled Edward the most but he was a few shades darker. He was also looking at me, but I could not read his expression.

After we introduced ourselves to each other I offered to show Chase around. He said he would like that and then smiled. By this point I was just ready for this day to be over. I turned around and walked toward the door and assumed Chase would follow behind me.

I felt a little bad being so rude. It wasn't his fault that I had not seen or talked to my boyfriend in days, so I figured the least I could do was not make him think that I was a total jerk.

I went over the schedule with Chase and explained where every building was and what time lunch would be. I offered to meet him in the cafeteria so we could sit together. I was relieved when he thanked me but declined. He said that he planned on sitting with his family. The bell rang and we went our separate ways to get to our classes.

The day was uneventful and long. I just wanted to leave, go home, crawl under my covers and not come out until I could talk to Jacob again. When lunch time came, I walked to the cafeteria and got in line. I picked up an apple and a Coke and walked toward my friends that I hang out with everyday.

Suddenly, I felt like every area of my body was on fire. I dropped my tray and fell to my knees. I wanted to scream, but the pain was so intense I couldn't find my voice. I heard people around me calling my name, but all I could concentrate on was the pain then suddenly everything went black.

_I saw myself floating away from my body and with a flash I stood in Jacob's backyard. Jacob was sitting on the back porch steps and Billy, Quil Sr. and Mr. Clearwater were across the yard facing Jacob. They were having a conversation but I wasn't able to hear all of it because it was hard to think past the pain._

"_She is not one of us. She does not understand our way of life. She is a good family friend, but it's impossible that she is your soul mate."_

"_Dad, you're not making sense. Charlie and Renee are like second parents to me. Bella is like a daughter to you. You gave me your blessing concerning Bella. Bella is perfect for me because she is my soul mate. There is no one else for me. If I'm not with her then I won't be with anyone; not having Bella in my life would be like me not breathing."_

_Quil Sr. said something to Jacob that made him very angry. Jacob stood up suddenly and he was trembling and he roared, "There is nothing that you can do or say that will keep me from Bella! You can disown me, but I will not break up with her!"_

_Billy threatened to end his friendship with my mom and dad and that is when Jacob lost it completely._

_He started growling. He then exploded into a horse-size russet-colored wolf. He howled and ran into the forest. _

_I looked toward Billy, Quil Sr. and Mr. Clearwater and they seemed very pleased and they were congratulating each other._

I sat up abruptly and looked around and realized that I was in my own room. My mom and dad were sitting in chairs at the foot of my bed. No matter how much I wanted to believe that I had just had a horrible nightmare, I knew from the look in my parent's eyes that my nightmare may just be beginning.

I feel back against my pillows and draped my hand over my eyes.

"I just had a dream that Jacob turned into a giant wolf." I hoped to hear laughing or assurances that I had just had a bad dream but I was greeted with silence instead.

My dad cleared his throat and said, "Bells, that was not a dream that you had. Jacob did phase into a wolf and it's because there are vampires in Forks."

Okay, I think I could officially say that my family was insane…

**DreaC and Wolkskill betas**

**Thanks for reading. Next chapter will be Bella and Jacob's POV, there will be a lot of stuff happening.**


	14. Chapter 14 Obession

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

I should have been scared, because either I had totally lost my mind, or everything that I had ever been taught about what exists in this world was a lie.

I leapt out of my backyard and ran through the woods at top speed. I was troubled because running like this felt so natural, like something my body was created to do. I didn't know where I was going, but I just felt the urge to run.

It was like I was transported to another world. Everything looked so different and clear and the smells were almost overbearing: the grass, trees, and the animals. I felt a power flowing through me that felt like a continuous electric shock.

"Welcome, Jacob Ephraim Black."

I came to a halt and looked around. I didn't see anyone, but I knew I heard someone say my name. I heard rustling in the woods to my left. I quickly turned in that direction and crouched in attack mode.

"Take it easy, young Alpha. I mean you no harm."

A white wolf walked through the brush that was in front of me. He was at least a half foot taller than me, and he had bright grey eyes. The atmosphere changed around us and I could feel the authority flowing from him. I fell down into a submissive position and started to whine.

"You may arise, Alpha Jacob."

I thought to myself, how was he communicating with me? _Shouldn't he be barking or something?_

"I am talking to you through your thoughts. When you are a wolf you will be able to communicate with others in your pack through your mind. You have been raised hearing all of the legends of the stories of our Quileute elders. As you now realize, every story you were told was true."

The white wolf began to walk around me, never breaking eye contact. "I am your great grandfather, Ephraim Black, and I am here to help you to transition into your Alpha status."

What this wolf was saying to me did not make sense. What was an Alpha, and what did it have to do with me?

"You know the answers to the questions that you are asking. The last time that you saw Catori, she completed her assignment by instilling in you everything that you would need to know."

I sat back on my hind legs and thought about what the white wolf said. I recalled what happened at the beach when she touched me. I said, "I am a protector."

"Yes, young Alpha, you are correct. It is your destiny to lead the pack that is about to come together, and it is your duty to protect your tribe."

"What am I protecting La Push from?"

"The Cold Ones."

Hearing that name caused an overflow of visions to come to my mind. I saw creatures that looked human but sparkled in the sun. I felt like a door in my mind was unlocked and suddenly all kinds of information was uploaded into my brain. I growled, "The bloodsuckers are back; the Cullens are living here again."

"They are not the only reason why you have phased. But because of them coming back to Forks, they've brought danger back with them."

The white wolf backed away from me and right before he disappeared into the trees he said, "Your pack members will begin phasing soon. They will depend on you to lead them. Sam will be first so keep an eye on him. Go to Second Beach, the Council is waiting for you along with your mate."

"My mate?"

"Yes, Isabella Swan. Your father will be able to answer all of the questions you may have. You must phase back to your human form before you reach the beach. I suggest you go home first because you will need a change of clothes."

"How do I phase back?"

"You will find that answer within yourself, young Alpha."

The white wolf disappeared into the trees. I turned around and ran back toward my house. Once I reached the tree line that connected to my back yard, I began to wonder how I was supposed to phase back into my human form.

My instincts told me to relax and see myself as human again. I took a deep breath and began to visualize myself how I looked with two legs. I began to feel like my body was changing from the outside out and within seconds I stood on two legs again but very naked.

I hoped no one was home because it would be pretty embarrassing walking into my house looking like this. As I approached the back porch, there was a pair of cut off jeans and a note on top.

_Welcome back, son, or should I say Alpha. I left these for you to put on. Don't bother putting on a shirt, you'll find out why once you get here. We are at Second Beach waiting for you. _

_I'm sorry about the horrible things that were said about Bella. We assure you that we didn't mean a word of it. It was just necessary to get you angry enough to phase. We love and care for Bella very much and we all know that she is your soul mate for life._

_I love you, son, _

_Dad_

It was a relief to know that my dad did approve of Bella and I being together. I picked up the shorts and put them on. It was strange dressing like this, but at the same time it felt natural.

I suddenly remembered something that the white wolf said. Bella was waiting for me at Second Beach. That was all the motivation that I needed to run as fast as I could to reach my love.

**Bella POV**

I didn't know what to say. _Should I humor them or just flat out tell them that they were crazy? What did they mean that my Jacob was a wolf, and_ vampires _exist?_ My parents were waiting for me to say something but I was at a loss for words. My mom leaned forward and placed her hand over mine and said, "Bella, I know that this is a bit much to take in but it is true. We would not make something like this up. We just need you to trust us right now and do what we say."

"What do you need me to do?"

"In the bathroom there is an outfit hanging up on the back of the door. Take a shower and get dressed in that. You will be seeing Jacob, so I suggest you make an effort to look nice."

"I would think that if Jacob is turning into a _wolf, _you wouldn't want me anywhere near him. None of this makes sense."

"Just get dressed, Bella, and come downstairs when you are ready. You have thirty minutes and then we have to go."

Curiosity got the best of me. I got out of bed. I went into the bathroom and looked at the outfit that my mom had ready for me, I was hoping that it would give me some clue about where we were going, and what was going to happen but it just made me more confused. It was the beginning of March and night time. We were going to La Push which was by the beach. That meant it would be cold and my mom had a white terry halter dress from Old Navy hanging on the door.

I could refuse to wear this dress and go pick out something else but I didn't want to do anything that would cause my parents to change their minds about me seeing Jacob. So I took a shower and quickly got dressed. I didn't have time to blow dry my hair, so I rubbed mousse through my hair which would tame it and cause it to be curly.

I went back to my room, and put on some eyeliner and lip gloss. I went to the closet and put on a pair of white sandals. I looked in the mirror and figured my mom should approve and I ran downstairs. Renee and Charlie were waiting for me in the living room. They got up and I followed them out the front door.

It didn't take long for us to get to La Push but we didn't stop at Billy's house. Instead we ended up at Second Beach. I was really confused now, this was a private beach. Only the Quileute were allowed to be at this beach. I decided not to say anything and just do as I was told.

Charlie was leading the way across the sand up a hill and my mom and I were following close behind. I was right, it was freezing out here and it was very windy. I noticed that my mom was dressed similar to me. Even though Charlie had on pants he had on a short sleeved shirt.

I could see a bon fire in the distance and there were people standing around. As we got closer I began to make out familiar faces. I saw Quil Sr., Harry and Sue Clearwater, Billy, and an old man that ran the local store. I think his name was Bidziil.

Billy wheeled his way toward us and his eyes were bright and full of joy. He greeted us with his signature bright white smile.

"Welcome, Charlie, Renee, and Bella. I was beginning to wonder if this day would ever come."

Billy turned toward me and grabbed my hands.

"Bella, I know that you are very confused right now, and what happened to you today was scary. But I promise that you will get all the answers that you need tonight."

Sue Clearwater came behind me and draped a blanket across my shoulders. I was thankful. She had taken the time to warm it. It felt good being wrapped up in that heat. I noticed that my mom had a blanket also.

After several minutes passed I heard Harry yell something to Billy in Quileute. Billy looked at my dad and told him that it was time. My mom took me by the hand and led me toward the fire. She leaned forward and kissed me on my cheek and said, "Never forget how much your father and I love you. We will always be here for you no matter what." She then took my blanket away.

She leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "Stay here and don't turn around until you are told, too." I nodded my head to let her know that I understood.

I saw my mother look past my shoulder and do a double take. I wanted to tell her to close her mouth before something flew in but I could sense that now would not be an appropriate time for that. I heard her mumble under her breath, "Give Charlie some of that." I tilted my head to the side and raised my right eyebrow at her. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "You'll understand what I mean when you get to see what I see."

I heard low murmuring behind me and some shuffling around. Once there was total silence Billy yelled out, "The time has finally come for the Alpha Jacob Ephraim Black to claim his imprint Isabella Marie Swan. From time past until now, the Alpha had the gift of imprinting before they phased for the first time. Usually, the imprintee does not accept the imprint until after the Alpha phases for the first time and they make eye contact, but Isabella accepted the imprint when she was a young child.

"Today, the Alpha Jacob, phased into wolf form for the first time and as he went through his transformation, Isabella was connected to him and she actually saw him phase. This shows us that the spirits were correct in saying that their union will be a powerful one.

"Alpha Jacob, you may now turn around.

Isabella Swan you may now turn around."

I slowly turned around, everything that Billy was saying sounded like utter craziness to me. Alpha, imprinting, phasing, what the heck? But as I raised my eyes toward Jacob none of that mattered. All I saw was him; all I felt was him, all I needed was him. I saw our life flash before my eyes within seconds…marriage, children, standing beside him as he led his pack of wolves. It was as if I had always known.

At that moment Catori's words came back to me, "_A lot is going to be expected of you, young one. You have been chosen to be the mate of the next Great Alpha. You have a special gift. You can see past deceit and what the mind perceives to be normal. Your only weakness is that you attract what is not good for you. _

"_Look for the signs; they will always lead you in the right direction. Be strong, Bella. Jacob will need you more than he has ever needed you before."_

I was ready for it; I was ready to be Jacob Black's mate for life. He ran toward me and grabbed me around the waist and pulled me up toward his lips and he kissed me. I could hear cheering in the background but all that mattered to me at that moment was that I had my Jacob back.

Up until that moment, I did not realize how the atmosphere had changed around us. It was very warm, the wind was not blowing anymore and there was a crackling sound in the air. Billy informed us that as part of the ceremony we would be getting tattoos. I turned toward my parents. Charlie nodded his head and Billy continued.

That was why Bidziil was there. He did all of the tribal tattoos on the reservation. Jacob and I both got tattoos on our left arms. His was a lot larger than mine. My mother and father also got tattoos. They were inducted into the Quileute family also.

I would never forget this night; this was the night that I became Jacob's forever.

**DreaC and Wolfskill betas**

**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.**

**Thanks for the reviews, you guys are so kind!**

**There will be more Chase next chapter.**


	15. Chapter 15 Fear Factor

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Bella POV **

_The Next Day_

When I finally went to bed early this morning, I wondered if I would feel different when I woke. Since I was now fully aware of the supernatural world, and I was imprinted with Jacob, would I see my life through different eyes?

I was a little disappointed when I woke up and I still felt like the same Bella. I didn't wake up with any deep revelations and everything around me still looked the same. Renee explained to me that since I'd been around the supernatural for so long, it was like second nature to me. There wasn't anything for me to get adjusted to. From the moment I met Jacob Black, I was being prepared to be who I was today.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my love for Jake had increased a thousandfold. In the past, I'd always felt like Jake was my other half. I could not live without him. But now I knew that saying he was my other half just wasn't enough. Jacob _was _me and I _was _him. Without the other we would cease to exist.

So much was explained to me last night. Everything that I thought about my mother was wrong. All of my anger and resentment when she tore me away from Forks was misguided. I wish that she could have told me the real reason back then. So many people turned their backs on her because she hurt Charlie so badly. In reality, my mom sacrificed her happiness to keep us all alive.

Now I understood why my mom was so insistent about me coming to Forks every summer. It wasn't just to see my dad. It was also to make sure that my bond with Jacob would continue to grow. Back then, my mother didn't know the full story about werewolves, but she trusted Catori enough to trust her with our lives. Catori told her that it was essential that Jacob and I maintain our friendship over the years.

I couldn't believe my dad had been able to deal with all of this; vampires, werewolves, imprinting. It was a lot for him to have to accept, but he made it through. I was glad that even though Charlie and Renee were separated for a while, they were able to work things out and get back together. Not everyone got a second chance.

It was Tuesday and, instead of going to school, I was on my way to La Push with Renee and Charlie. We were on our way to Billy's house so the adults could have a _talk _with Jacob and me.

_Please, please, please don't let this be a sex talk._ I didn't think that I could handle sitting through something like that.

It was already mid afternoon. We had all slept kinda late today. Even though I should have been tired, I felt energized. I think a lot of that had to do with seeing my Jacob again. I never wanted to be separated from him again. I didn't think I would be able to survive it next time.

We pulled into the Blacks' driveway and, of course, Jacob was waiting on the porch with a bright smile and total love and devotion in his eyes. Before the car had come to a complete stop, I'd already unbuckled my seatbelt, unlocked the door, and scooted out of the car. I faintly heard my dad in the background chuckling, "Slow down, Bells; I think Jacob would like to see you in one piece."

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I ran toward Jake. He jumped off the porch. Just as he landed, I leaped toward him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he spun me around. Jacob put me down and I asked, "Do you know why they want to talk to us? It's not going to be a sex talk, is it?"

"I don't know, Bells. My dad wouldn't tell me anything. I know that it can't take too long because I have to stay near Sam's house. He's going to phase any time now. I need to make sure that I am there so he doesn't freak out and hurt anyone around him."

Jacob grabbed my hand and we walked into the house ready to suffer through whatever our parents wanted to discuss with us.

They were waiting for us in the living room. We found a spot on the couch and sat down. Billy cleared his throat and said, "As you have already been told, your imprint is unique for two reasons. First, it's not common for a male to imprint so young, and it is also uncommon for the imprintee to accept the imprint before the male phases for the first time. So that means that in the past no male has ever phased or imprinted before they were already eighteen and considered adults. When the male imprinted and they had the imprint ceremony, it was also considered a marriage ceremony. When the couple left the bonfire that night they left as husband and wife. The female did not return to her parent's home but she moved in with her mate.

"This is where it gets tricky for the two of you. Obviously, you are too young to get married, so the ceremony had to be modified. We performed half of the imprinting ceremony last night. We consider you in the engagement stage. As soon as you both graduate from high school in three months we will perform the second half of the ceremony and that is when the two of you will be considered man and wife."

I couldn't move. _Married,_ that's what grown people do. I was only eighteen and Jacob was sixteen. They expected us to get married and live together, and have kids and become responsible? What about college, or just taking time to find ourselves? The way Billy was talking, he made it seem like there was no choice. It was already a done deal.

My mom scooted her chair toward me and she took my hands in hers, "Bella, look at me." I turned my head toward her and locked eyes with her.

"Bella, I can only imagine what is going on in your head right now. Last night, you got a crash course on what imprinting is. The bond that you share with Jacob goes deeper than anything that could ever be explained to you. As much as your father and I love each other the love you share with Jacob is a million times deeper than we could ever feel. If it weren't for you imprinting so young right now, you would be married and you would be okay with it.

"You and Jacob have three months to get used to the idea and by then I'm sure the ceremony won't happen fast enough for you."

I felt like I couldn't breathe. How many parents encouraged their teenage children to get married?

I barely whispered, "We don't have jobs. Where would we live? What about college?"

Billy wheeled toward me and placed a hand on my shoulder to get my attention, "We've been preparing for this event for six years. We have a fund set up for all of the Protectors and their families. You and Jacob will receive a stipend once a month. Jacob is very good with cars, so I'm sure that it will be easy for him to find a job. As far as having a place to live, you are more than welcome to stay here until you guys are ready to live on your own.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but since the males have started to phase we will have to put a ban on attending college. Your focus and attention will need to be here at La Push."

"But that's not fair! Jacob and I had plans. We wanted to go away to college and take a trip to Europe for a summer. We have to let all of that go and be held hostage here?"

Jacob sucked in a breath. For a moment I had forgotten that he was sitting next to me. He placed his hands on either side of my face and said with a little sadness, "You think becoming my wife and standing by my side makes you trapped? Bella, I thought you loved me."

"I do love you, Jacob, but you have to admit this is a bit much. Did you know about this? Did you know that now since you are a werewolf the life that you had planned is now over? All the dreams of making something of yourself are now over. You were going to be the first male in your family to go to college and now that dream is crushed. We had plans, Jacob, I'm not ready to let go of those dreams so easily. If you love me as much as you say you do, you would understand that."

Jacob let go of me like touching me was causing him pain. The look on his face made my blood run cold. He was angry, hurt, and disgusted with what I had just said. He stood up abruptly and backed away from me. He was breathing heavily and started to shake. He quickly turned away from me and ran out the back door. Several seconds later, I heard a long-drawn-out sorrowful howl and knew that I was the cause of Jacob's torment and pain.

Jacob didn't come back while I was there and that hurt a lot. It was my fault. I freaked out and didn't think before I spoke. I knew that I had pledged my undying love for Jacob over and over again but I just never realized what that really meant. I made a mistake when I said that when I woke up this morning that nothing had changed. _Everything _hadchanged. I was not a child anymore and I had to suck it up and deal with it.

**Chase POV**

I had looked forward to playing cat and mouse with Bella Swan. The treaty with the Quileutes meant nothing to me, and Edward was not going to tell me what to do as though he was my father in any real sense of the word. I planned to seduce Bella. She would be my toy. Her parents would panic and the Quileutes would pray to the spirits for guidance.

She ruined it; she was not worth the pursuit. There was nothing to her. She was plain, timid, just too uninteresting. I would get off more watching paint dry on the walls.

The last straw was when she flipped out in the cafeteria. Jasper almost doubled over with the pain that she was feeling. He could not describe it, except to say that it felt like it was not her pain, but she was feeling someone else's pain. If that was the case, then she had enough other supernatural stuff going on. I was a little possessive. I would want all of her focus on me.

Bella was not at school yesterday and neither was her mother. I wondered where she was. The Quileutes were probably doing their best to keep her away from me and my family.

Imagine my surprise when I heard her pull into the parking lot this morning in the most hideous contraption that I'd ever seen. No self-respecting human or vampire would be caught dead in _that_. It was a sorry excuse for a truck. I rolled my eyes and turned around. This girl was not worth my time.

I heard Jasper whistle.

Alice exclaimed, "Oh my!"

Edward said, "Wow, she cleans up nice."

I turned back around and my heart almost stopped beating. I became light-headed and realized I had stopped breathing. She had literally taken my breath away. What I saw standing across the parking lot in front of that hideous truck was the very definition of beauty. Her hair was a dark brown; it was bone straight, parted down the middle and was pulled back away from her face behind her ears. Instead of the paleness she had the other day, her complexion was _glowing. _

I was correct when I assumed she was slim, but not in an unattractive way. She had curves and with the formfitting sweater and skinny jeans she had on, I was able to appreciate every one of them.

My mind was on autopilot. Before I realized it, I was stalking toward her. I had to talk to her. I had to get her to want to talk to me. She had just closed the door of the truck and was slinging her book bag across her shoulder.

She saw me as I walked toward her. She looked me up and down and then she frowned. She turned away from me and walked away.

"_What the…?" _Did she just dismiss me? She looked at me like I was a piece of trash. Jasper and Alice were standing on either side of me.

Jasper said, "She knows what we are. I could feel the disgust and hate. She really hates us; I guess that can be understandable since one of us almost killed her and her mother some time back."

I was still in shock. She _ignored_ me, and she turned away from me like I was nothing. I was not okay with that. The cat and mouse game was back on.

**I hope you liked this chapter. As you can see everything between Bella and Jacob won't always be warm and cozy. Thank you, DreaC and Wolfskill for your wonderful feedback and encouragement. Thanks for all of the reviews. **


	16. Chapter 16 Eye Candy

Author's Chapter Notes:

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

It didn't take me long to calm down once I left the house. I knew Bella well enough to know that she was just freaking out. Within the last two days, she had learned that her boyfriend was a werewolf and that our lives were already planned out for us. She had also learned that although I was devoted for life to her through my imprint, every dream that we had made together had been erased.

I had to remind myself that she was not Quileute. Bella didn't embrace the customs like I did; it was going to take her some time. I felt it would be best to give her some space, so instead of going back home I went to Sam's to check on him. So far, nothing had changed. I was glad Sam would be the first one after me to phase. Sam was a good guy. I thought that he would make a good second in command. I sat with him and we talked for a while about fixing cars and the mechanic business that he planned on opening up in a couple of months.

After a couple of hours, I went back home. Bella was gone along with her parents, but Billy was waiting up for me in the kitchen. I plopped down onto one of the chairs and looked at my dad. He placed a set of keys on the table and pushed them toward me.

"Charlie and Renee bought my old truck for Bella; I need you to take it to her."

Before I could respond, my dad placed another set of keys on the table.

"Charlie gave me these to give to you. They are keys to the Swans' home."

There were a ton of questions going through my mind and my father saw them all.

"Since the imprint is complete, it will be physically painful for either of you to be separated for any length of time. Now Bella won't have to depend on her parents to come and see you.

"We are family now. This is Charlie and Renee's way of letting you know that you are welcome in their home anytime. They trust that you will treat Bella with the utmost respect and when you visit her in her room you are to keep the door _open_. Charlie told me to tell you to make sure you come and see Bella before you go to bed tonight; she needs to know that you forgive her for freaking out."

I turned into a giant wolf… nothing should have surprised me anymore. I reached across the table and picked up the keys. I walked to the door, and as I opened it I said, "I'm going to take Bella her truck."

I felt like an intruder when I used the key I was given to unlock the front door to Bella's house. I stepped in and quickly closed the door. The TV was on in the living room, so I walked in that direction. Charlie was sitting in his recliner. He shifted his eyes from the flat screen TV long enough give me a nod.

I walked into the room, which was dark except for the light from the TV and sat down on the couch. Charlie picked up the remote for the TV and put it on mute. He then turned toward me.

"Look Jacob, I know that Bella hurt you when she reacted the way she did at the thought of getting married so soon. Bella loves you and everyone knows that you are it for her. She could never love or want anyone else. She chose you back when she was twelve without even knowing why or without even realizing.

"The day that I found out that there were vampires and werewolves, I decided that I was going to cut all ties to La Push. Even though everyone that I cared about lived there, I did not care. I had decided that Bella was never going to see you again and that was final. Renee was able to talk some sense into me, and that's the same thing that Bella has done also.

"I wish you could have seen the look on her face when she realized how upset you were with her. Cut her a little slack. You have the privilege of already _knowing _everything. Bella is going to have to be taught as she goes along."

It was a little unsettling having this conversation with Charlie. He was talking to me like I was an adult instead of a sixteen year old. Bella was not the only one who still had a lot to learn and get used to. There was too much swimming around in my mind, and I couldn't put a clear thought together to express myself to Charlie so I just nodded.

Charlie stood up and stretched.

"It will work itself out. I'm glad that Bella has you in her life. I don't have to worry about her safety. I'll be glad when she graduates though, so she won't have to be around the Cullens at all."

I stood up and followed Charlie upstairs. When I reached Bella's door, Charlie turned to me, "You can stay the night if you want to. Just remember to keep the door open. I trust you to respect Bella and the rules of this house."

I had a hard time looking Charlie in the eye when I replied, "Yes, sir."

"Good night, Jacob".

"Good night, Charlie."

I turned the knob to Bella's door and pushed it open. I knew right away that she was sleeping; I left the door open and quietly walked to the edge of her bed and sat down. I took off my shoes and laid next to my angel. She was curled up onto her side in the fetal position. I scooted as close to her as I could, wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to me. She sighed and whispered, "Jacob, I love you."

I kissed Bella on the top of her head and whispered back, "I love you more." I listened to her steady breathing until I got so tired that I finally gave in to sleep.

**Bella POV**

When I opened my eyes this morning, I felt safe and rested. I felt complete and I couldn't figure out why. Something was different, but my mind was still waking up. I just couldn't figure out what it was until I heard snoring in my ear. That's when I looked down and noticed that there was a russet arm wrapped around my waist and I was pressed up against something very warm and hard.

_Jacob_ was sleeping in my bed!

For a moment, I wondered if I was even really awake. I couldn't imagine Jacob ever doing something like this. Then I thought about my parents and what they would think if they came into my room and saw us in bed like this together.

I tried to pull away from Jake, but every time I pulled away, his grip on me got tighter. I tried once more and instead of him tightening his grip he flipped me onto my back and laid next to me and said, "Good morning, beautiful."

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Jacob, what are you doing here in my bed? Charlie will shoot you if he comes into my room and sees us like this, imprint or not. How did you get in my room, anyway?"

"Give me a kiss first and then I will answer your questions."

"Are you insane? What if my parents…"

"Kiss me first."

"Let me at least get up and lock the door."

"_For heaven's sake, Bella, go on and kiss him already, and the door stays open."_

Charlie!

Oh my God!

I popped up and pushed away from Jacob and attempted to scramble off of the bed; but I only succeeded in landing on my butt on the floor. I heard Jacob laughing and the bed creaked as he got up and walked around to my side. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto my feet. Jacob wrapped his arms around my waist and said, "Kiss me."

I didn't know what the heck was going on, but I did as I was told. I raised my head up toward Jacob and closed my eyes. I could feel his warm breath come closer to my face until our lips made contact with each other. My arms naturally went around his waist and for a moment my mind turned to mush. I lost myself in his warmth and strength.

Slowly Jacob broke away from me, and I opened my eyes. Everything about yesterday came rushing back to me and I wrapped my arms around Jacob again. I held on to him as tight as I could and cried.

"Bells, what's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry for what I said yesterday. I never want to see you look at me like that again."

"Bella, look at me."

I moved my face away from Jacob's chest and I looked into his eyes.

"I don't want you to be sorry for what you said. You were being honest and it's how you feel. We did make plans for our future and everything has been changed without our consent but, that's just how life goes sometimes.

"Renee didn't want to walk away from Charlie when you were little and end her marriage, but she had to in order to keep you all safe. Charlie didn't want to expose you to a boyfriend that would eventually turn into a werewolf but he did. I didn't want to be a werewolf but I am. All I can do now is move forward and deal with what is in front of me.

"I love you, Bells, and I always knew that one day I would make you my wife. I always thought it would be after we finished college, but it doesn't matter to me. I want you to be happy and if marrying me isn't what you want then we will deal with that. I just need to know that we will always be together."

I broke Jacob's heart yesterday and instead of him being mad at me he tried to make _me_ feel better. I sighed and sat on the bed. Jacob sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulder.

"We don't have to talk about this right now, Bells. I just want you to know that I love you. We will make this work. It's time for you to get ready for school anyway. Come to La Push after school and we will talk."

Jacob reached into his pocket, pulled out a key and placed it on the bed.

"This is for you. Your parents bought Billy's old truck so you could have your own transportation. "

I stood up and ran to my window and looked outside. Parked along the curb was Billy's old red truck. I turned around excitedly and looked at Jacob.

"That's my truck?"

"Yup."

"Now I can come see you whenever I want?"

"Yup."

I ran past Jacob, and as I was on my way out the door I abruptly stopped and turned around in Jacob's direction.

"My parents knew you were sleeping in my room last night."

"Yeah, they gave me a key and I can come over whenever I want. I can spend as much time with you in this room as I want as long as I stay dressed and we keep the door open."

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. This train of conversation was kind of embarrassing. I never thought my parents were so liberal. Jacob saw the struggle my mind was going through because he said, "I know I said we would talk about this later but just think about this, we are imprinted to each other, we belong to each other. Whether you believe it or not, by the time three months is over you will _want_ to be married. Charlie and Renee are smart enough to know if it wasn't the front door it would have been the window."

Jacob kissed the top of my head, my forehead, my nose, and then softly pecked my lips. He then whispered into my ear, "I'll miss every moment that you are not by my side. I'll see you when you get out of school."

Jacob walked to my window, pushed it open and jumped out. I stood there for a few minutes and thought about everything that we had talked about. I felt so confused. This was just too much to process. It was supposed to be simple.

I decided to just not think about it right now. I ran downstairs and thanked my parents for the truck. I decided not to say anything about the key they gave Jacob; I didn't want them saying anything to embarrass me.

When I went back upstairs I got ready for school. Since I knew that I would see Jacob later on, I made sure that I looked my best.

I enjoyed my drive to school until I parked and saw the Cullens hanging out by their car. I thought about how it was their fault that Jacob and I had to go through all of these changes. I felt consumed with hate toward them. Even though I had already been warned to stay away from them, I made up my mind that I would do everything that I could to make sure I did not cross their path.

I got out of my truck and began to put my book bag across my shoulder when I realized one of the Cullens was walking toward me. It was the vampire that I showed around the other day. There was no way that he could possibly be coming over here to strike up a conversation. The only thing that I had to say to him was, "To go back to hell where you came from." I turned in the opposite direction and walked away.

The rest of my morning was uneventful until gym class. Everyone noticed my tattoo on my arm. Before I could stop myself, I told the modified truth. That in the Quileute tradition, getting the type of tattoo that I had symbolized my commitment to the person that I loved. This was a way of saying that I planned on being with Jacob for life.

Jessica thought I was crazy for marking myself like that. She wanted to know what I was going to do if Jacob and I broke up. Then I would be stuck with this stupid tattoo, but Angela was very supportive. She thought that it was romantic and was happy for me. Mike wanted to know what I could possibly see in a kid that was two years younger than me. I told Mike to go visit La Push and see Jacob and then come and see if he still needed an answer to that question.

I was a TA for Biology my last period of the day. My instructor didn't have anything for me to do so he wrote me a pass to go to the library to study.

I picked a table that was kind of isolated and began to study for a history test that I had coming up.

Suddenly, I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up. Something was very wrong. I felt isolated and it was making me nervous. I began to look around and that's when I felt it. It was the same feeling that I felt for a while in my bedroom. Sometimes I felt like someone was there with me.

I began to panic. I could feel my heart starting to beat faster but suddenly I felt like something was telling me to stay focused and concentrate. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing. I had to follow my instincts. I refused to believe that I was just being paranoid. There was _something _here that I could not see.

Whatever it was, it wanted me to be scared and I was not going to give it the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

"Even though I may not be able to see you, I can feel you. Show yourself."

There was no response. I stood up and began to walk around looking in every direction. Suddenly, I felt something warm brush against my cheek and I jumped back and almost fell over a chair.

There were people about twenty feet away from me and they didn't glance in my direction to see why I had made all that noise. I could feel the need to stay focused and reminded myself, "You need to see what should not be seen. Focus, what you seek is there."

I blocked my fear, I blocked the noise of my heart beating a million beats a minute, and I started looking around again. That's when I saw him.

I whispered, "Chase."

"Wow, Isabella. I'm impressed. No human or vampire has ever been able to do that. What? Do you have a little bit of fairy in you?"

This was a dangerous creature. He had the beauty of a god, but he was evil.

"You don't fool me, Chase. I can see what you really are. You are not good, you want to toy with me and cause my family and friends to suffer. Your lust for me is not a blood lust but a lust for my body. You hate my human existence but at the same time you want me."

He showed no emotion except to smirk, "You do realize that the more you talk and show your contempt for me the more you turn me on. I want you so bad right now that it's causing me physical pain."

"If you know what is best for you and your family you will leave me alone. I don't want you. I hate you and I wish you didn't exist."

I was done having this conversation with him. I turned my back on him and began to walk away.

Before I could take my first step, I was slammed against a wall and Chase was standing in front of me with fire and lust in his eyes.

"Just so you don't attempt to waste your time and scream, I have a shield around us. No one can see or hear us. My family can't smell my trail and track me to you. I can do whatever I want to you and no one can stop me.

"You are right, Bella, I do want you. I want to possess you, and when I'm done with you I want to toss you aside like the nothing that you truly are."

Chase grabbed me roughly by my jaw and whispered in my ear, "I'm not asking you, Bella, and if you don't give me what I want then I could always kill you instead."

"My family would rather see me dead than for me to give myself to you. Go ahead and kill me, I would much rather die than have you touch me."

I could tell that my answer surprised him. It was not what he expected.

**DreaC and Wolfskill betas**

**Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17 May Traverse

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chase POV**

"What the…?" Did she just dismiss me? She looked at me like I was a piece of trash.

Jasper said, "She knows what we are. I could feel the disgust and hate. She really hates us; I guess that can be understandable since one of us almost killed her and her mother some time back."

I was still in shock. She _ignored _me, and turned away from me like I was nothing. I was not okay with that. The cat and mouse game was back on.

For the first time that I could remember, I felt totally out of control. My every thought was about Isabella Swan. I felt the want for her coursing through my veins. I was tempted to leave school and go talk to my grandfather about this.

She was only a weak, ordinary _human. _I wasn't going to allow her to have me running scared. I shook my head to try to erase her out of my mind and walked to class.

As the day dragged on, my thoughts kept going back to Isabella and how she looked as she got out of her truck this morning. I thought about her beautiful brown, doe-shaped eyes, her full pink lips, and body to kill for. I couldn't let go of the fact that when she looked at me there was nothing there but hate and disgust.

I wasn't used to being ignored. I must admit, my ego had been bruised. Ever since I hit the age of maturity, I was used to both human and vampire females falling over trying to get my attention. When I smiled, I was used to seeing females get dazzled and forget their names. There was always nothing but want for me in their eyes. But from the first moment that Isabella and I met, things were different. At first, it was like I was not there, but now it was utter contempt.

At first I decided that getting Isabella to want me wouldn't be worth the trouble, but by the end of lunch I realized that I was kidding myself. I refused to walk away from a challenge. Seducing Isabella would be difficult but would make breaking her even more enjoyable.

As the school bell rang to signal that lunch was over I got up, pulled my shield around me, and followed Isabella to her class. Her teacher gave her a pass to the library so I followed her there.

I pushed my shield around her also and stood and watched her. It didn't take long before I noticed an elevation in her heart rate. She began to look around like she was looking for something. Isabella closed her eyes and started trying to control her breathing. She opened her eyes again and began to look around.

"Even though I may not be able to see you, I can feel you. Show yourself."

This was impossible. There was no way she could have known that I was there. I was invisible. My dad suspected that when he visited her room she felt his presence, but she never tried to act on it. She stood up and began to walk around as if she was looking for someone. I decided to make things a little more interesting, so I moved closer to her and brushed the side of her cheek with my hand.

Now that scared her. She jumped back away from my touch and almost fell over a chair. I couldn't help myself; I began to laugh. But my laughter abruptly stopped when she looked directly at me and I heard her whisper, "Chase."

I tried to make light of the situation and made a joking comment. "Wow, Isabella. I'm impressed. No human or vampire has ever been able to do that. What? Do you have a little bit of fairy in you?"

But inside I was a little nervous. No one had ever been able to penetrate my shield. She began to dissect my every thought and emotion that I had toward her. She told me I didn't fool her, She could see the real me. Isabella said that I wasn't good; I wanted to toy with her and cause her family and friends to suffer. My lust for her was not a blood lust but a lust for her body. Isabella knew that I hated her human existence but at the same time I wanted her.

I should have been shocked, worried, and concerned about what she was doing, but as each word came out of her mouth, my desire for her increased a thousandfold.

What was the use in staying quiet? I began to tell her _exactly_ how I felt, "I want you so bad right now that it's causing me physical pain."

Isabella said, "If you know what is best for you and your family you will leave me alone. I don't want you. I hate you and I wish you didn't exist."

Did this foolish girl realize who she was talking to? I was half vampire. I could kill her before she had a chance to blink and she was mouthing off to me.

Then Isabella attempted to dismiss me again by turning her back to me and walking away. I decided that she needed to realize exactly what she was dealing with. So at vampire speed I grabbed her, turned her toward me and pushed her against the nearest wall.

"Just so you don't attempt to waste your time and scream, I have a shield around us. No one can see or hear us. My family can't smell my trail and track me to you. I can do whatever I want to you and no one can stop me.

"You are right, Bella, I do want you. I want to possess you, and when I'm done with you I want to toss you aside like the nothing that you truly are."

I then grabbed Isabella by her jaw and told her that if she didn't cooperate with me then I would kill her. Those words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I knew that I was going too far, but I couldn't stop myself.

Isabella didn't attempt to pull away from me. As she spoke her next words she said them so quietly that if I had not had vampire hearing I wouldn't have been able to understand her. She locked her eyes with mine and all I saw looking back at me were dead unemotional pupils.

"My family would rather see me dead than for me to give myself to you. Go ahead and kill me; I would much rather die than have you touch me."

What was wrong with this chick? She had to be suicidal. I just threatened to kill her and she told me her family would rather her be dead then be with me. She would rather I kill her also? Didn't she realize that saying something like that would cause me to get angrier?

Alright, so she didn't have any sense of self-preservation. Maybe the thought of her being the cause of others getting hurt or dying would help her sing another tune, so I said, "My father is the one that almost killed you and your mother when you were young. You see, your blood sings to him. The monster in him wants your blood, but the human-lover in him wants to protect you. So, for the moment you are safe. But what do you think would happen if he smelled a drop of your blood in a crowded room? He would kill every human in that room to get to you. It would be your fault that so many people died."

I thought I finally had her. She would fall down on her knees and beg me to let her go or do to her what ever I wanted so that others wouldn't be in danger, but this stupid bitch looked right into my eyes and raised her chin, exposing her neck.

"Try it," she whispered. She then closed her eyes and waited for my next move.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I let my instincts take over and whatever happened I would deal with the consequences later.

I shoved her against the wall again and grabbed her wrists and yanked her arms above her head. I pressed myself as close to her as I could so all she would see and feel was me. Finally, I saw fear in her eyes and just when she opened her mouth to scream, I closed my mouth over hers and began to kiss her.

Immediately, I started to feel a shock run through my body. I felt different. It was like my life force was being drained from me. I felt a searing pain on the side of my face and I was pulled roughly away from Isabella and was being dragged away by my father. He didn't stop running until we were in the woods just before our driveway. When Edward let me go, I staggered to keep my balance and looked toward him. He looked at me with horror in his eyes and said, "Chase, you're bleeding." For the first time in my life I was scared. With wide eyes I stared at my dad and whispered, "Help me, Dad."

Edward walked me into the house and he called for Carlisle. Esme and Carlisle both came downstairs and immediately stopped when they realized that I was bleeding. Carlisle walked up to me and examined my face but didn't say anything. I had marble skin like the rest of them. I could crack but I should not be able to get cut and actually bleed.

I raised my head and looked at my Grandfather. "What's happening to me?"

Carlisle put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Let's go upstairs to my office and get you cleaned up." He looked at Edward and Esme and told them that we would be back down in a few minutes.

We went upstairs, and once we were in my granddad's office I plopped down into one of the chairs. I still felt drained. My vision was clouded, and it was also a little difficult to hear. Carlisle got his medical supplies and he cleaned the side of my face. Once he was done he pulled a chair up in front of me and said, "Your scratches are beginning to heal. I'd say in about an hour or so they should be completely gone. I have a feeling that you have a lot of explaining to do, but you might as well come back with me downstairs so you can explain what happened to all of us."

We got up and went back downstairs. Esme, Edward, Alice, and Jasper were all sitting at the dining room table waiting for us to join them. My grandfather guided me to the head of the table; I sat down, rubbed my hands through my hair and looked around. At that moment, I realized that I had never felt any regret for anything that I had done during my existence. But right now, as I looked at the family that had done nothing but love me completely and utterly unconditionally, I felt guilt, condemnation and serious regret.

Esme reached toward me and squeezed my hand, "Just start from the beginning."

**Alice POV**

I wasn't paying any attention to the lecture. I had been in this English class so many times I could have taught it with my eyes closed. I sat staring at the teacher, but thinking about the shopping trip that I had planned with Esme this weekend.

Suddenly, I got a headache that made me feel like my head was going to explode and flashes of a vision began to play before my eyes. What I saw was so unbelievable that for a moment I couldn't move. I stood up abruptly and told the teacher that I felt suddenly sick and I needed to go to the nurse. He waved me off and told me to go ahead. I ran out of the classroom and toward the library. I heard footsteps behind me. Edward and Jasper were both running behind me. I looked at Edward and he shrugged and said, "I don't know how it happened. I was able to see the vision that you just had. I got up and ran out along with Jasper."

"Edward, when we get to the library you grab Chase and don't stop until you get home with him. Jasper, you and I will grab Isabella and take her into the woods behind the school."

As soon as we entered the library, we could smell the blood. Edward almost ran back out because he thought it was Isabella but then realized that it was not her scent. He grabbed Chase and I grabbed Isabella.

Once we were far enough in the woods, I put Isabella down. I walked toward her to see if she was okay. She backed away from me, tripped over a tree branch and knocked herself out.

What was going on? I had never been able to see a vision concerning Chase before. Edward had not been able to read my mind since he left us after Chase was born. Was Chase bleeding?

Jasper interrupted my thoughts.

"Alice, you need to calm down. Concentrate. What is going to happen when Isabella wakes up?"

I focused on her and began to see a vision. When she woke up she was going to be very confused and in pain but was not going to remember what happened.

"Okay, Jasper, when she wakes up she's not going to remember what happened. Unfortunately, Chase broke her wrist and so we can't just walk away and act like we know nothing. We need to put her in her truck and then go and get her mother. We'll lie and tell her mom that she ran into us in the woods. When she saw us she panicked, attempted to run away from us and fell."

"What's her reason for being in the woods?"

"We don't know."

"Why were we in the woods instead of in class?"

"We had decided to leave school early so we were in the woods on our way home."

"Why can't we just put her in her truck and walk away. No one can prove we were anywhere near her."

"I can't explain it; all I know is if we don't admit to being around her at all, all hell is going to break loose."

Once Isabella was in her truck along with her book bag, we located her mother in her classroom. She was grading papers. I gave Jasper a sidelong glance to let him know to make sure he gave her some calming vibes. I was sure when she realized we were in the classroom alone with her, she would freak out. Once we were directly in front of her desk, I cleared my throat.

"Um, excuse me, Mrs. Swan."

Like I predicted, she was startled. Mrs. Swan didn't hear us enter the classroom. Once she saw who we were, her eyes narrowed as she looked us up and down.

"What do you want?"

"We just wanted to let you know that your daughter is passed out in her truck. We think she needs to go to the hospital."

Isabella's mother's hand flew to her mouth and she jumped up and backed herself up against the wall.

"What did you do to her?"

"Absolutely nothing. Jasper and I were in the woods on our way home and we ran into her. She was scared and tried to run away. She tripped over some branches and hit her head as she fell. We didn't want to leave her there in the woods, so we brought her back. She's in her truck. We moved her truck around to the side of the school so no one would see her.

"We don't want any trouble, Mrs. Swan, but you do realize that leaving your daughter in the woods would be very dangerous. Not all of us hunt animals."

Jasper and I left Isabella's mother standing in her classroom with a horrified expression on her face. We ran as fast as we could back home. What the hell was Chase thinking?

When we walked into the house, Edward and Esme were both sitting down at the dinning room table. Edward pointed to a chair.

"You might as well have a seat. We're waiting for Carlisle to get Chase cleaned up and then we plan on getting to the bottom of what happened today."

**Chase POV**

I told them everything. I explained that ever since I inhaled Isabella's scent coming off of Edward I had been consumed with thoughts of her. As each day went by my desire for her became stronger and stronger. But at the same time my contempt for her human existence also became stronger. Even though I wanted her physically, my want for her to be dead was just as strong.

When she didn't show any interest in me, it angered me and pulled me in even more. It made me want her to want me. When she openly showed how much she hated me it stirred me up even more.

I told them about how she was able to see me even though I was supposed to be invisible. I explained to them how I felt when I kissed her.

"_May Traverse"_

Everyone turned towards Carlisle and waited for him to explain what that meant.

"Being a hybrid poses unique challenges when it comes to finding a mate. You can not mate with a vampire because if they ever got carried away and bit you, they would kill you. If you randomly found a human female to be intimate with you stand the risk of killing them due to your vampire strength or if you bit them you would change them.

"As a hybrid, you have two options: find another hybrid or experience May Traverse. When this happens you are able to have a human female as a mate. Just like how Isabella's blood sings to Edward and causes bloodlust, for you her scent causes a physical lust. You have no control over it."

So my body was telling me that I wanted Isabella as a mate. Of all of the humans out there, why did I have to want the one that I could not have?

"How does this May Traverse work?"

"Your venom changes. Instead of being a poison to her body, it would cause her to experience the same type of physical attraction that you have for her. Isabella wouldn't change into a vampire, but she would stop aging. She wouldn't be immortal. She can be killed just like any other human. It would take a little bit more to hurt her, but she would still be considered totally human."

"Can she have my children without dying in the process?"

"Yes, her pregnancy hormones equip her body to handle the pregnancy intact."

I closed my eyes. I realized that I was beginning to feel a lot more like myself again.

"What do I need to do to stop this? I don't want to want her."

Carlisle shrugged his shoulders. "There's nothing that you can do. Edward can't stop the bloodlust and you can't stop the May Traverse. You can manage to live with it, but it will always be there. She is what your body wants. I wish it was someone else, because then I would do whatever I could to bring you two together. A relationship with Isabella Swan is just impossible."

Jasper chuckled. "She has a boyfriend anyway."

I frowned. I never even considered that as a possibility.

"Who? I haven't seen her hanging around any guy at school."

"That's because he doesn't go to Forks High. He's Quileute."

Alice covered one of Jasper's hands and asked, "How do you know that?"

"In gym class today I heard her explaining what the tattoo meant that she had on her arm. She said it symbolized her undying love for her boyfriend."

Carlisle stood up and walked toward Jasper. "How do you know her boyfriend is Quileute?"

"Some guy that likes Isabella made a comment about his age, and she told him to go see him on the Rez and then come back and they could talk about it. So I assumed that meant her boyfriend lived in La Push."

"If I showed you a picture of the tattoo would you recognize it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I would."

Carlisle was gone and back within seconds. He was holding an old journal. He opened it up and placed it in front of Jasper. Jasper looked at it and nodded his head, "Yes, that's it."

"Damn!"

We all looked at Carlisle in shock. He never cursed. He began to pace back and forth mumbling to himself, "This can't be. We checked, but there weren't any around."

Esme stood up and placed her hand on Carlisle's shoulder, "What is it Carlisle? What wasn't here?"

"That tattoo means that Isabella Swan is an imprintee. Only werewolves imprint. When Isabella's imprint finds out what happened today he is going to want to rip Chase apart."

Suddenly Carlisle cell phone rang.

He took it out of his pocket and answered. The conversation was very short. When he hung up the phone he looked at me and said, "The _Alpha Jacob Black _is on his way to _talk _to us."

**Betas: Wolfskill and DreaC your help is greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank everyone for all of their reviews. **


	18. Chapter 18 May Traverse Continued

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

As I leapt out of my imprint's window and ran toward the woods to phase, I thought about how good it felt to wake up next to Bella this morning. I loved Bells so much that it sometimes caused me physical pain. All I wanted was for this day to hurry up and be over so that we could see each other again.

There was so much left unsaid between us concerning what it truly meant for Bella to be my imprint. I didn't like to see her cry and be upset but at the same time, she had to know that her role at my side was a major event. I wasn't the only one who would have to grow up quickly. She was a part of a supernatural world and we didn't play by normal rules.

Once I phased into my wolf and allowed myself to become one with nature, I could sense a shift in the atmosphere around me. Every nerve ending in my body was on edge, and I felt the need to get ready for something. I let the wolf in me take over completely and that was when I felt the pull.

It was Sam; today would be the day that he phased for the first time. I took off running in the direction of his house. When I reached the tree line in back of his home I hurried up and phased back into my human form. I slowly walked into his back yard. I was a little surprised at what I saw.

Sam was usually very calm and controlled, but right now he was pacing back and forth in his yard yelling every curse word imaginable. Within in the few seconds that I had been observing him, he had kicked or thrown any object that was in his path. His chest was heaving in and out and I could see the veins straining out the sides of his neck.

Even with his dark russet skin I could see the dark shade of red that his face had become. I slowly approached him.

"Hey, Sam, what's got you so upset?" He didn't answer me. He was so far gone that he didn't even notice that I was standing in his yard watching him. He just kept charging around the yard destroying it, talking to him self and yelling profanities.

I began to listen to what he was shouting about. After a quick minute or two I realized that Sam was so upset because he and his girlfriend Emily had gotten into a fight, and she had broken up with him. I knew that Sam loved Emily with all of his heart and I could totally identify with how angry he was. Thinking that my family was trying to keep me away from Bells was exactly what pushed me over the edge to phase.

"What are you doing in my backyard?"

I was so lost in thought that I didn't realize Sam had finally noticed I was there.

"I just came by to say what's up and see what you were doing."

"My life is fucked. That's what's wrong with me!"

"What happened, man?"

"Emily broke up with me this morning. She found out that I got a job offer in California to be partner in a construction business with a friend that I went to college with. I turned it down because I didn't want to leave her behind in La Push. She thinks that if I don't go for this opportunity that later down the line I will regret it and I will resent her for holding me back. I asked her to marry me and then we could go to California together, but she doesn't want to leave her family and friends here. La Push is her home. This is where she wants to stay."

Sam began to pull at his hair and shake so much he started to blur. As the next words came out of his mouth his voice began to change. It took on a deep tone that sounded more like a menacing animalistic growl than human. His eyes were no longer the soft chocolate brown that I was accustomed to seeing but they were pitch black and filled with nothing but anger.

Sam roared. "She doesn't have the right to take my choice away from me. I don't give a damn about a stupid ass job in California!"

That was it. In the next instant Sam was no longer human. Standing before me in his back yard was a very big and black pissed off wolf. I hurried up and took my shorts off and tossed them to the side and phased. I connected with Sam's mind and immediately everything about being a shape shifter transferred to him. We ran into the woods and Sam let out the loudest blood curdling howl that I had ever heard. It was filled with pain, fear, and anger.

I didn't have an easy answer for Sam concerning Emily. I didn't know if trying to encourage him to fight for Emily was a good idea. What would be the point if she turned out to not be his imprint and then they would both get hurt even worse than they were now?

To be honest, it was a relief to not go through this alone anymore. I now had one of my friends that I could share this with. I answered every question that Sam had for me and after a couple of hours Sam seemed to be in a better place emotionally. We talked about imprinting and that there was a chance that his issues with Emily could work themselves out on their own. I explained that Bella was my imprint and because I was Alpha we had been connected since I was four years old. Once school was out we were going to be married.

We phased back and went to Sam's to find something to eat. Just as we walked into his kitchen Sam's phone rang. He answered it and turned toward me and said, "Jacob, it's for you."

My eyebrows shot up and I wondered who could it be? I didn't tell anybody that I would be over here.

"Hello, this is Jacob."

"Jacob, it's your dad. You need to get to the Rez hospital right away. Renee is on her way there with Bella."

I felt pressure in my chest and panic was slowly creeping in.

"What's wrong with Bells?"

"She fell and hit her head in the woods and knocked herself out."

"What in the hell was she doing in the woods?"

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Hello! Dad, are you still there? What was Bella doing in the woods?"

I heard my dad sigh and then he said quickly, "Just get to the hospital as soon as you can. Harry and I will meet you there."

I dropped the phone, ran out the back door and phased once I reached the tree line. At that moment nothing else mattered to me except getting to my angel as fast as I could.

I made it there in record time. I hurried up and pulled my shorts back on and ran across the parking lot. I sniffed the air and could tell that they had not made it here yet. I shifted from one foot to the other and waited. Five minutes went by before I saw Renee speeding into the small hospital parking lot. She barely came to a stop before I yanked the door open to get to my Bells.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the condition that she was in. She was still unconscious, there was dried blood on the side of her head and it looked like some bruising along her jaw line. I unhooked her seatbelt and gently pulled her out of the truck.

Carrying her limp, unconscious body was tearing me up on the inside. I inhaled to seek some type of comfort from her scent and that was when the wolf in me flipped. I came to an abrupt stop and growled and hissed in Renee's direction, "Why does Bells reek like a _leech_?"

"Please, Jacob, let's get my daughter inside to a doctor and then I will tell you everything that I know."

I turned back around and proceeded to walk through the emergency doors. They took her to the back right away. Because according to them I was just her boyfriend, they wouldn't let me go back there with her, so I was left pacing back and forth in the lobby getting angrier and angrier by the second.

I knew that Bella went to school with the leeches and that she would run across them and quite possibility have a trace of their scent. But this was different. The amount of leech that I smelled could only mean that she was touched by one of them.

I could hear my dad approaching me from behind. "Jacob, two of the Cullens claim that they ran into her in the woods. When she saw them she panicked and tried to run and fell knocking herself out in the process."

I looked at my dad like he had grown two heads and asked him the same question that I asked him before, "What was Bella doing in the fucking woods!"

It didn't make sense to me. It had been instilled in all of us not to go wondering around in the woods from a very young age. Bella didn't go venturing off into the woods by herself. She was supposed to be in school. Especially now with the Cullens living here she wouldn't put herself in danger like that.

Billy wheeled himself against the wall before he answered me, "I don't know, Jacob. Renee didn't know. She said that the leeches told her they didn't know why she was out there. They told Renee they put Bella in her truck and came and told her where she was."

At that moment, Renee came into the waiting room and she had a look of relief on her face.

"Isabella is awake now. She has a mild concussion and her left wrist is broken but she is going to be fine. They are going to let her go home in a few hours."

Renee looked directly at me and said, "She's asking to see you, Jacob."

That was all I needed to hear. I almost ran out of the room because my need to see that Bella was okay was so strong. As I passed Renee she put her hand on my shoulder to stop me. "She doesn't remember what happened. All she remembers is being in the library studying and then waking up here."

At the moment that didn't matter to me. I just needed to get to my angel. No one had to tell me where she was. I just followed the stench and it led me directly to her. I didn't want Bella to see me angry but the wolf in me could not be tamed. It would not let me ignore the clear neon sign that Bella had been in mortal danger and I hadn't been there to protect her.

I walked into the small room that they had Bella in. She was lying on her side with her eyes closed. I walked over to her and sat down in the chair that was next to her bed. She turned over and when she saw it was me her tired eyes lit up and she smiled. "Jacob, I'm so glad you're here." She reached her hand out toward me and I grabbed it and gave it a slight squeeze.

As she examined my face she began to frown. "What's wrong, Jacob?"

The thought of something horrible happening to my angel had me spiraling down a dark hole of emotion, and I had a difficult time finding my voice so when I did speak it came out in a raspy whisper, "When I pulled you out of the truck you were unconscious with dried blood on the side of your head and you reeked of vampire. Bella, why were you in the woods? If you had died today then I would have died. I would have gone to the Cullens and killed every single one of them, and then my heart would have stopped beating because I could not survive without you."

Tears ran down Bella's face. "I don't know why I was in the woods. I was in the library studying. I would never go into the woods alone. I know better than that."

I leaned toward her and brushed the tears away that were sliding down her cheeks. "I'm not mad at you, Bells. I'm glad that you are okay. It's my job to protect you and I failed. But I do plan on getting to the bottom of this. I promise you that something like this will never happen again as long as I'm alive. I have to go and deal with a couple of things. I'm going to tell your mom to pack some stuff for you. You are coming to La Push and you are staying with Billy and me.

I leaned forward and brushed my lips against hers. I went rigid. The venom on her mouth burned me. I jerked my head back and looked at Bella's face more closely and that was when I noticed it. There were finger marks on either side of her jaw line. I sniffed her hair and continued down her face and moved over her neck on both sides and continued down her arms and stopped at her broken wrist. Bella began to squirm and said, "Jake, what are you doing? Why are you sniffing me like that?"

I wondered if I should be blunt and tell her what I was thinking or sugar coat it so she wouldn't freak out. I decided that since she was my imprint she needed the raw truth. "Two leeches claim that they found you in the woods doing God knows what. You panicked, tried to run, fell and knocked yourself out. They put you in your truck and went and told Renee. When I just kissed you I could taste vampire venom on your lips. There are three different scents on you; two of them are less detectable. I suspect that the third one may be why you were in the woods."

Bella looked downright horrified. I stood up and said, "I can promise you this, Bells, they will never have an opportunity to come near you again. I'm going to take care of this. I have to get out of here. I don't want to lose it in this hospital."

Bella didn't say anything I think that she was just too scared. Her eyes were glazed over and she was staring at nothing. I felt bad for leaving but I had to deal with this issue.

I rushed back toward the lobby where everyone was waiting. I looked at Renee and asked her where Charlie was. She told me that he was working on a case in Seattle and he couldn't get down here before tonight. I told her to pack a bag for herself and Bella because they would be staying in La Push for a while. I was thankful to see that Sam was there also. I looked at him and said that we had to go and take care of some things.

I walked to my father. I could tell that he knew what I was about to do. "I have to do this, Dad. I have to go over there and find out what really happened. They have to know that we take the treaty seriously and it's time for them to know that the wolves exist."

Billy handed me his phone and said, "Do things the right way, son. You are a leader now and you need to let them see that. The coven's leader's name is Carlisle."

I found the name and pressed speed dial. He answered on the second ring. All I had to say to him was, "I'm Alpha Jacob Black and I am on my way to come and talk to you."

I gave my father his phone back and Sam and I left the hospital. I decided that going in wolf form was not necessary so we rode in Sam's truck. Their place was not hard to find and it didn't take us too long to get there. As we pulled into their long driveway, we could see that the whole family of leeches was standing out front waiting for us. I looked at Sam and said, "I don't know exactly what's about to happen but just follow your instincts and everything should be okay."

We got out of the truck and walked toward the vampires. This was my first time seeing one face to face. I knew what a vampire looked like because the images were transferred to me by Catori and the Great Wolf, but seeing them face to face was a different matter. The wolf in me wanted to attack. The stench was burning the hairs in my nose and I wanted to gag but I resisted. The one thing that they needed to see and realize was that I was in complete control of my wolf.

Once Sam and I were about ten feet away, we stopped. A blond haired leech stepped forward and smiled, "Hello, my name is Carlisle. Welcome."

"I'm Jacob Black and I am the Alpha of the La Push Pack." I tilted my head to the left, "This is Sam, my Beta."

Carlisle nodded toward Sam and then looked back at me.

"Well, this is a new development. We had no idea that there were werewolves in the area. I'm guessing that you must be Billy Black's son?"

"Yes, I am."

"I guess it's safe to assume that you are here to discuss what happened to Isabella Swan today? How is she by the way?"

"You assume correctly. I don't feel the need to talk a bunch of pleasantries so I will be blunt. The story that was told to Isabella's mother was a lie. I'm here to find out what really happened."

The blond leech didn't respond right away. He looked like he was trying to figure out what to say next. I huffed and said, "Look, I don't have all day. I demand to know what happened to my imprint today. She didn't just fall down in the woods. She has bruises on her face from one of you roughly grabbing her face and her wrist is broken. The way she fell she couldn't have done that to herself."

**Alice POV**

Oh crap! This was turning out to be one big mess. I wish I had known there were werewolves in the area and that Isabella was imprinted to one of them _before _I made up that story.

Why did Chase have to lust after the Alpha's imprint? We had no choice but to tell the truth and hope for a positive outcome. I hoped that Chase followed Edward's advice and kept his mouth shut and worked on trying to make Jacob Black like him as much as possible, because when he heard what Chase actually did he would set Chase on fire and ask questions later.

I stepped forward and gave Carlisle a pleading look to have a chance to talk. He nodded his head at me and stepped back next to Esme.

"Hello, my name is Alice and I'm the one who made up the story to tell Isabella's mom. We wanted Isabella to get the help that she needed but we were trying to keep our name out of it as much as possible."

Jacob looked me up and down. The expression on his face was very unreadable. Carlisle warned us that young wolves were very unpredictable and lost their tempers at a drop of a hat but so far both of the werewolves standing before us hadn't broken a sweat.

Jacob raised his hand in a motion for me to stop talking. He slowly walked toward me and inhaled. Jasper stood just to the right of me and Jacob walked to him and inhaled again. The expression on his face never changed. He then did the same thing to Esme, Carlisle, Edward and Chase.

He walked back toward me and stared for a moment with an expression of pure hate radiating from his eyes.

"I believe that you and the leech standing next to you did have Isabella in the woods. You did put her in her truck. But there was another leech there that had nothing but intentions to harm my mate."

He walked back toward Edward and Chase. He stopped in front of Chase. "I could smell you all over my imprint's body."

I went very still. This was the moment of truth. Chase needed to make a choice right now. When he felt corned or irritated he had a tendency to be sarcastic. I hoped that he realized that right now would not be a good time for that. Jasper had already whispered to me that he could not detect either wolf's emotions. There was nothing there so he couldn't tell if the calming waves he sent were taking effect or not.

Chase didn't smirk or give a lopsided grin. He didn't say anything at all. He just stared back at the dog that stood before him.

"So it's like that? You'd rather leave me to my own imagination instead of attempting to explain yourself? Well, that's fine. I'll tell you what I think happened. I tasted your venom on the lips of my imprint and saw your hand prints on her face which let me know that you grabbed her. If you grabbed her that meant there was a struggle, which leads me to believe that you tried to rape my imprint."

As horrible as that did sound, it was the truth. If Edward, Jasper and I had not showed up when we did that was exactly what would have happened. I knew that Chase had no control over it but in the end that would not matter.

**Chase POV**

The Alpha wasn't a stupid mangy mutt after all. I wanted to clap my hands and congratulate him for being so perceptive, but I did promise Carlisle that I would behave myself. Telling the mutt about May Traverse would be a waste of time. Even though I wouldn't have much of a problem passing Bella around he seemed like the possessive type and liked to keep what he thought was his all to himself. I had the urge to say something so outrageous to him that it would cause him to totally flip and go wolf on me but like I said before, I had promised that I would be good.

It was time to end this so we could be relieved of their stench. I decided to play nice. Make him think this situation really wasn't that bad and send them on their merry way.

"I was attracted to Isabella. It bothered me that she didn't feel the same way. I just thought that if I kissed her that she would realize that she could desire me. I had no intention of raping her. I'm sorry for getting carried away. I had no right to touch her at all. You have my word it will never happen again."

The Alpha stepped away from me and turned toward Carlisle.

"You assured my father when you first moved here that you could control your coven. It is very clear that you can not. The treaty is void. You need to leave immediately."

Was he serious? He had no right to demand anything from us. This wasn't the response I was expecting. I stepped in front of him. "I will stay away from your imprint. We don't have to leave."

This insignificant dog had the nerve to look at me with disgust and said, "For what you did to my imprint you deserve to die. But since you were stopped and Isabella will be okay, I'm giving you a chance to live."

I was done being nice, I was done following the rules, and I was done giving this dog the time of day. I put my shield around the mutt and me so that we could have a _talk_ without any interference from my family or his sidekick.

"Why couldn't you just run along like a good little doggy and leave us alone? Isabella is a worthless human that isn't worth the lint I brush off my clothes. Guess what? You can have her mind and her heart, all I want is her body and when I'm good and done you can have that back, if I manage not to kill her in the process."

I started to see a reaction. He was starting to shake and it didn't take much for me to hit a nerve. I could tell that he was trying very hard to stay in control. I sauntered over to him and whispered, "Let the wolf go, you are in my shield. It's just me and you. Let's talk until one of us is dead."

He phased into a wolf and charged toward me. I made myself invisible and stepped out of the way. He turned around in a complete circle looking for me. I began to laugh. This would be easy. I ran toward him at full speed and crashed into him causing him to fly several feet into the air and crashed into the nearest tree. He got up quickly. I reappeared right next to him and whispered in his ear, "Once I bite her she will want me and only me. She'll be whatever I want her to be. Unfortunately, I get bored with things really fast and when that happens I'll make sure to drop her off in La Push. Maybe one of the other mutts will want to pick over my leftovers."

I expected him to attempt to charge at me again but instead he changed back into his human form. He stood very still and his face was unreadable. I decided that I wanted him dead just to prove a point that we were superior to them. So I disappeared again and ran toward him. I was going for the kill. I was running toward him and just when I was about to come behind him to snap his neck, he shot behind me and hooked his arm around my neck. He kicked the back of my knees and forced me down onto the ground. I couldn't pull away. He was holding on too tightly. I let my shield go and the last thing I saw was the utter shock and pain in my father's eyes before the Alpha Jacob Black snapped my neck.

**DreaC beta**

**Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19 Goin Wolf

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

I made it clear to the head leech named Carlisle, that I didn't believe their story. The only thing I wanted to discuss with them was what really happened to my imprint. The short dark-haired female leech stepped forward and glanced at Carlisle. He nodded his head toward her and she looked at me.

She said her name was Alice, and she was the one who made up the story that was told to my imprint's mother. She said she wanted to keep her family protected, but at the same time, she wanted to make sure that Isabella got medical help.

I continued to stare at the leech that spoke to me. I reminded myself to stay calm and not react the way the wolf inside of me wanted to. I didn't desire to stand here and listen to her continue to lie to me. There was a major part of this story being left out and all I wanted to do was leap toward her, grab her by her neck, twist it off and move on to the next one until one of these filthy bloodsuckers finally confessed the truth.

I raised my hand in a motion for the leech to stop talking. I slowly walked toward her and inhaled. The leech that stood next to her looked like he wanted to smack me into next week, so I assumed this was probably her mate. I walked to him next and inhaled again. Their scents were familiar. I smelled them on Bella and also in and around her truck.

I continued to smell the rest of the leeches. I knew I hit the jackpot when I smelled the last leech and almost phased on the spot. He was the one that had hurt my Bella and he would pay dearly. I made sure that my expression never changed and I walked back to the leech named Alice.

"I believe that you and the leech standing next to you did have Isabella in the woods. You did put her in her truck. But there was another leech there that had nothing but intentions to harm my mate."

I walked back toward the last two leeches I smelled. I stopped in front of the hybrid and made eye contact with him.

I growled, "I could smell you all over my imprint's body."

The hybrid didn't react to what I said to him. He stared at me with emotionless, icy blue eyes. This angered me. His lack of cooperation showed me that he thought this was a joke.

"So it's like that? You'd rather leave me to my own imagination instead of attempting to explain yourself? Well that's fine. I'll tell you what I think happened. I tasted your venom on the lips of my imprint and I saw your hand prints on her face which let me know that you grabbed her. If you grabbed her that means there was a struggle, which leads me to believe that you tried to rape my imprint."

His expression changed. First it was surprise, then anger but the last seemed to be amusement.

The hybrid admitted that he was attracted to my mate and when she didn't return his feelings he decided to force himself on her. He apologized for his actions and promised that it wouldn't happen again.

My first instinct was to get this over with and kill him, but I remembered what Billy said and I also couldn't forget that for whatever reason he was stopped by members of his coven which kept my imprint safe. I stepped away from the hybrid they called Chase and focused my attention back to the leader.

"You assured my father when you first moved here that you could control your coven. It is very clear that you can not. The treaty is void. You need to leave immediately."

The hybrid stepped in front of me and said, "I will stay away from your imprint. We don't have to leave."

Was he serious? He attempted to rape my imprint and he thought I would be okay with letting them stay? I looked at him like he was the dumbest fuck I had ever seen.

"For what you did to my imprint you deserve to die. But since you were stopped and Isabella will be okay I'm giving you a chance to live."

The atmosphere around us changed. I couldn't understand it. I felt like I was in some kind of bubble that I couldn't get out of. Chase looked at me and said, "Why couldn't you just run along like a good little doggy and leave us alone? Isabella is a worthless human that isn't worth the lint I brush off my clothes. Guess what? You can have her mind and her heart, all I want is her body and when I'm good and done you can have that back, if I manage not to kill her in the process."

I couldn't contain the wolf anymore; the things that he said about my Bella were unacceptable. At that moment he showed me exactly how much of a danger he was to my imprint and everyone else in Forks and La Push. The only choice that I had left was to destroy him.

He stepped toward me and whispered, "Let the wolf go, you are in my shield. It's just me and you. Let's talk until one of us is dead."

I phased into a wolf and charged toward Chase. Before I could reach him he disappeared. I turned around in a complete circle. Without any warning, I was flying through the air until I crashed into a tree. I quickly got up and continued to try and see where the hybrid had gone. He reappeared right next to me and whispered in my ear, "Once I bite her she will want me and only me. She'll be whatever I want her to be. Unfortunately, I get bored with things really fast and when that happens I'll make sure to drop her off in La Push. Maybe one of the other mutts will want to pick over my leftovers."

I couldn't afford to fail. If I died, Bella would be at his mercy and she meant more to me than anything else. As much as I didn't want to, I had to give the wolf in me total control in order for me to beat this monster. I had to let the wolf fight this battle.

I submitted to the wolf and went into total instinct mode. I felt myself shift back into my human form, and the wolf in me shut down all the sounds and smells around us except for the threat that was before me. He had a heart and that was the only thing that the wolf was focused on. So when he did disappear again I could track his location by listening to his heartbeat.

I had to make sure that he didn't know I could track him, so I remained very still. He ran toward me from behind and just when the hybrid was close enough to snap my neck, I shot behind him and hooked my arm around his neck. I kicked the back of his knees and forced him down to the ground. I made sure that he wouldn't slither away. I felt the shift in the air and knew that we had an audience again. The wolf in me was pleased to show off his kill. As the Cullens looked at me in absolute horror, I snapped the hybrid's neck and let him fall to the ground. I made sure his remains were set on fire before Sam and I left.

The wolf was thrilled. The threat to my imprint was dead. After reminding the Cullens that they still had to leave by morning, Sam and I walked back toward my truck. I did it with a gleam in my eye and a smile on my face. It felt good to destroy what tried to possess and harm my Bella. We got into Sam's truck and left their land knowing that by tomorrow morning they would be gone.

The drive back to my house was quiet. Neither of us had anything to say. I hadn't fought back for control of my wolf yet so at that moment all my instincts wanted were to get to my imprint as soon as possible. She was almost claimed by another today and the wolf inside me was not pleased.

**Edward POV**

Chase was stubborn like his mother. Before the mutt showed up I pleaded with him to keep his mouth shut. To let us handle talking to Jacob Black but of course, Chase being Chase could do no such thing.

I'll gave him credit though, he did try. When Jacob approached and confronted him he did try and not say anything. But it just made him come off as being cocky. This seemed to make the Alpha angrier. So Chase tried to use his power on him to smooth him over a bit but it didn't give the effect that Chase was used to.

It caused Jacob to not want to kill Chase, but he still wanted us gone. I never would have imagined that Chase would take this so far. Just a couple of hours ago he was so regretful of everything he had done. He just wanted to do whatever he needed to do to make things right with his family. On the surface it was easy to assume that Chase was angry about the dog demanding that we leave.

Chase would think that Jacob Black shouldn't have the right to talk to him in that manner. But I knew what the true cause was. Even though Chase may not have wanted to want Isabella Swan, he had no choice.

Chase agreed to stay away from her but he assumed he would still get to see her, smell her, and when he could catch her off guard be around her. Having to leave Forks was not a possibility for Chase and we all knew it.

We should have considered that the Alpha Black would request us to leave, but we didn't. We made the mistake of depending on Chase's ability to cause people to like him and see things his way. I really missed not having the ability to read minds because it would have come in really handy today.

Suddenly, Chase disappeared along with Jacob Black.

Alice paced back and forth.

"Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god. What has Chase done? This is bad, this is really bad."

I looked toward the other werewolf but was a little disturbed to see that he stood in his same position with a blank expression on his face. He didn't seem concerned that his Alpha was missing. I turned to Alice and said, "Can you see anything at all?"

"No, I can't see anything."

Not even three seconds later, my whole family was forced onto our knees. I was crippled with a nightmarish vision. The images that I saw were blurry but clear enough for me to make out what was going on. I saw Chase charging toward Jacob Black from behind, Jacob was naked so at some point he must have been in wolf form. Suddenly, Jacob Black turned and made his way behind Chase. Just as the Alpha Jacob forced my son to his knees, Chase dropped his shield, and when Chase made eye contact with me the Alpha, Jacob Black, snapped my son's neck.

It was a sickening sound. Chase couldn't shatter like a true vampire because he was half human. Blood ran through his veins so we heard a loud crunching sound instead. His head did not rip from his body and I am thankful for that. I know that the blood would not have affected me but I wasn't so sure about my family members.

The mutt dropped my son and let his body fall to the ground like a piece of trash. None of us could move. You could still hear Chase's heart beating. Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, and then total silence. My son was dead. Jacob Black looked behind him and without having to say anything his Beta came forward, lit a match and threw it toward Chase's body.

The smell of my son's burnt flesh would haunt me for the rest of my existence. The Alpha Black stepped away from the fire and walked toward Carlisle. When he stood directly in front of him he said, "This doesn't change anything. You have until sunrise tomorrow to be gone. You are never to come back to Forks, and if we find any of your kind around here again, we won't hesitate to kill."

The Alpha and Beta got back into their truck and drove away. We continued to stay in our positions like statues and watched Chase burn until he was nothing but ash. After what seemed like hours, Carlisle stood behind me and handed me a container.

"Put Chase's ashes in the container. We are taking him with us."

"Where are we going?"

"I think it's time to spend a little time in Italy."

Of all places to go, Carlisle wanted to go visit the Volturi? I was confused; Carlisle didn't like spending a lot of time there. They didn't agree with the way we chose to co-exist with the humans and Aro was always trying to recruit Alice, Jasper, Chase and myself.

"Why would you want to go to Italy now?"

Carlisle looked away from me and shrugged his shoulders. "I just think it would be best for us to be amongst our own kind for a while."

I did as I was told. I scooped my son's ashes into the container and made preparations to accompany my family to see the Volturi.

**No beta from PTB this chapter-both on hiatus**

**This was Jacob's POV of the fight, hope you liked it. Next chapter will be a lot of Jacob/Bella**

**Thanks for the reviews. You guys blew me away last chapter.**


	20. Chapter 20 The Alpha is in Position

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV **

Once we pulled into my driveway, I noticed my father sitting in his wheelchair on the porch. He looked straight ahead with a deep frown on his face. I knew that he wanted to talk and find out what happened with the Cullens, but I couldn't deal with him right now. Nothing else mattered except seeing Bella as soon as possible. Billy would to have to wait. I would deal with him in the morning.

I got out of the truck and walked toward the porch steps. Inside the house I heard footsteps as they quickly approached the front door and knew it was my Bella coming to greet me.

Sam quickly whispered in my ear, "You do realize that you are standing in your front yard naked?"

The wolf in me didn't care and wanted Bella to see me in the raw, but there was still enough of me conscious that realized I wouldn't want to embarrass her like that. I yelled out, "Bells, don't come out here. Wait for me in my room; I'll be there in a minute."

The footsteps abruptly stopped, and seconds later I heard her retreating in the other direction. Once I was sure Bella was not going to come outside, I looked toward my father. I was a little surprised to see a moment of fear cross his expression before he was able to contain it and look at me with concern. He leaned forward in his chair and as he looked at me wide-eyed, he gestured for me to come closer. I walked up the steps onto the porch and kneeled down so that we could be eye-level.

Billy raised his right hand toward my face slowly, as if he were attempting to reach out toward an animal he thought would attack him. He gently ran his fingers across the side of my face, and he silently cried.

"Son, what happened to you out there? Why do your eyes look like that?"

As much as the Jacob in me wanted to comfort my father and assure him that I was okay, the wolf was in full control at the moment and wanted nothing to do with this conversation. Its main objective was to get to its mate, and until that happened, I was a walking time bomb.

"Dad, I will tell you everything that you need to know in the morning. I can't talk to you right now. I need you to go with Sam and let him drop you off at the Clearwater's tonight. I will come and pick you up in the morning. As a matter of fact, get the council members together and we will meet in the morning."

Billy raised his head up and his look of concern changed to stubborn determination. He shook his head, "No, Jacob, I don't think it would be in Isabella's best interest to leave you alone with her. She's been through enough today. You look like you could explode at any moment."

I went perfectly still. I slowly tilted my head to the side and stared at my father. I felt my temperature rise and I trembled slightly. I took several deep breaths before I trusted myself to react to my father's refusal to do as I asked.

I stood up slowly never taking my eyes off of Billy and he never blinked. I placed a hand on either side of his wheelchair and leaned forward slowly until my face was merely an inch from his.

I growled, "How dare you question my ability to keep my imprint safe! Jacob is not _asking_ you to leave. The Alpha is _telling_ you to leave. What happens between my mate and I is none of your business. You need to leave now!"

I let go of my father's wheelchair and straightened up. Without turning around or dropping eye contact with Billy, I yelled, "Sam, take my father to Harry's. Then I need you to go back to the Cullens and wait there until they are gone. As soon as they are out of the state, call me on my cell phone."

Once I was inside, I closed and locked the door. I walked down the hallway that led to my bathroom. I was curious to see what was wrong with my eyes.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the light. I then stood in front of the mirror and almost swallowed my tongue when I witnessed my reflection staring back at me. My eyes weren't the normal dark brown that I was accustomed to but instead they were a yellowish-golden color. Not only was the color of my eyes different, but they weren't Jacob's eyes. There was nothing to indicate a carefree teenager that liked to tell jokes and hang out with his friends. What stared back at me was someone that could kill at will, and would let nothing or anyone stand in his way of getting what he needed or wanted.

I understood why my father feared for Bella, I looked dangerous and unapproachable. But what my father didn't understand was keeping Bella away from me would be more dangerous than anything else when I was completely submitted to my wolf.

I decided to take a quick shower to get the smell of leech off of me. Once I stepped out of the shower I didn't bother to dry off, my body temperature would evaporate the water soon enough. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist.

I left the bathroom and walked down the hallway toward my room. I slowly opened the door. As I searched the room for Bella, I saw her with her back toward me looking out the window closest to my bed. My heartbeat immediately accelerated as I took in her appearance. She had on one of my T-shirts. Of course, it was way too big for her and went all the way down to her knees, but it was still the sexiest image of her I had ever seen.

I'd seen Bella in her pajamas plenty of times, but having her in my room wearing something that was mine did something to me.

I needed to have her in my arms so I walked toward her and just before I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind I stopped when she started to speak.

"After you left the hospital, I started to remember what happened to me. Chase cornered me in the library. He put some kind of shield around us and he told me how much he wanted me. When I told him that I hated him and would never give myself to him he threatened to kill me instead."

Bella moved away from the window and paced back and forth. I could tell by the sound of her voice she was trying to fight back the tears, I felt the fear and resentment as it flowed off of her. I wanted to grab her in my arms and comfort her, but I knew that I needed her to get this out. Bella wasn't good at sharing her feelings. She usually held things in until she exploded. I had to let her work through this.

She stopped pacing and continued to talk, "I meant what I said to him. I would rather Chase kill me then make me his. I told him that my family would rather see me dead then he possess my body. I didn't know what came over me. I needed to prove how serious I was. So when he threatened to follow through with his treats, I told him to try it.

"He grabbed my arms and forced them over my head. That's when he broke my wrist. He then kissed me. Something came over me. All I kept thinking was that someone other than you was kissing me and I hated it. Up until that moment you were the only person that I had ever kissed. Chase took that away from us and that made me hate him even more than I thought possible.

"I hated the fact that he was stronger than me and I had no control over what he was doing to my body. I was filled with so much rage and all I wanted to do was stop him from taking what didn't belong to him. I don't know exactly how it happened but suddenly, I felt stronger and was able to pull one of my arms out of his grip to claw at his face.

"That's when his family interfered and pulled us apart."

Bella walked back toward the window and sighed, "I saw some of what happened between you and Chase. I'm glad Chase is dead, I wish I was the one that snapped his neck."

I couldn't hold back any longer. This time when I stood behind Bella I did wrap my arms around her waist and pulled her roughly against my body. I rested my head on top of hers and inhaled deeply. Her scent started to sooth me. I kissed the top of her head and slowly turned her around.

As she raised her head up to look at me she gasped. I was sure it was because of my eyes. She didn't attempt to move away from me, but instead she leaned forward and kissed me. It was like she knew what I needed at that moment. I guess that was one of the advantages of being imprinted. You knew what the other one needed without having to ask for it or say it.

All I could think about was how Chase almost took what was rightfully mine. I was insanely jealous about that. I slowly backed Bella toward my small bed and once her legs touched the edge she allowed me to lay her down. I broke our kiss and looked into her eyes. What we had shared in the past would always mean a lot to me, and up until today it was as far as I had planned to go until we got married, but after what happened today with Chase, I needed more.

I needed my entire imprint. After tonight, there would be no denying who she belonged to. I leaned slowly toward Bella and she closed her eyes in anticipation of our kiss. Once I was so close to her lips she could almost feel them I whispered to her, "I need you Bells. I need all of you. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

Bella smiled and put her arm that was not in a sling around my neck and said, "You don't have to ask for what is already yours."

**Carlisle POV**

No matter what anyone in my family had to say about it, what happened today was my fault. As the head of my family I made the choice to come back to Forks and try to co-exist with the Quileute. Chase was dead because of me. Edward was once again heart broken over losing a loved one because of me.

We walked right into this situation totally unprepared and blind. Something like this had never happened before. I guess because we had been here before I thought it would be an easy move. We would blend in for a while and in a couple of years when people started to get suspicious we would move on.

A whole week hadn't gone by and my family was torn completely apart. How did we not know there were wolves in La Push? When Edward told me about what happened to him all those years back I should have rethought about coming to Forks. I was too confident that all I had to worry about was keeping an eye on Edward.

We knew about Chase's negative feelings toward humans and his cocky attitude, but he had never caused any real trouble. He could be a bit rebellious at times but we understood that being a hybrid in an all vampire household, was hard to deal with. We were all mated and he was not.

Then to want the very thing he hated with a passion was a lot for him to bear. I killed my grandson because I made the wrong choice to come here. I'd always believed that losing my humanity was the worst thing to ever happen to me but I was wrong. I was given a gift that most vampires didn't get a chance to experience. I was given a grandson. I got to experience something that I should not have been allowed to because I was no longer human.

He was one of the good things that came out of this life and now he was gone and my heart was ripped into pieces. I had to make things right. Losing Chase would kill Edward and destroy my family. It was a daily battle to exist the way we did. Killing animals instead of humans wasn't the natural path for us, so it was a fight. It took a lot of willpower. We had to have a reason for doing it and fighting so hard for it. That was why Edward lost it last time and regressed back to what came easy for us. He lost the will to fight for it.

It would be so easy to say that we sacrificed the life of Chase because we cared about human life a little too much. In a way it was true. If Alice, Jasper, and Edward had just let Chase do what he wanted with Bella, he might have still been alive. We let the wolves come on our land and make demands because we wanted to keep the peace and avoid war. Chase needed Isabella Swan and we should have made sure that he had her.

It was my fault that Chase Cullen was dead and it was up to me to try and salvage my family. I picked up my cell phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in a very long time. The phone rang several times before a female voice finally picked up.

"Hello, who is this?"

Hello, Mia, this is Carlisle Cullen."

There was silence and I wondered if she had hung up the phone.

"Hello, are you still there?"

"Yes, Carlisle, I'm here. What do you want?"

"I'm calling to collect on that favor you owe me."

Once I got off the phone with Mia, I told everyone to pack up as quickly as they could because we were going to Italy for a visit. No one questioned my decision except for Edward. But he gave in and came along with the rest of us.

We were ready to go by sunrise the next morning. The Beta was waiting on our property watching us in his wolf form. He followed us all the way to the airport. Fifteen hours later, we were riding in a couple of black Mercedes Benz s65's with tinted windows on our way to Volterra to visit Aro and the rest of the Volturi.

Well, the rest of my family was going to visit the Volturi; I had another stop I needed to make. Once we made it to the castle we were quickly ushered into the chamber where Aro, Marcus, and Caius were waiting for us.

I approached Aro first and greeted him. Of course, the first thing he wanted to do was grab my hand so that he could see for himself why we were here. I made sure that I never broke eye contact with him so that he didn't end up saying something that I didn't want my family to hear. It was already very hard to keep Alice from knowing what I was up to. I was very thankful that Edward was unable to read minds anymore.

When Aro was done he let go of my hand and placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I warned you in the past that making a treaty with those dogs was a mistake but it was what you wanted so we stayed out of it."

"Yes, well I've learned from my mistake."

"Yes, but look what it cost you. I admire your conviction to try and hang onto your humanity. You've managed to resist what you truly are for hundreds of years. It shows your strength and dedication when you put your mind to something. Not only have you proved that you could do it but you also convinced a whole coven to follow your way of life. But in the end you are still a vampire."

Aro looked just beyond my shoulder and addressed my son, Edward.

"I'm so sorry about your son. Just when you two were reunited he had to be taken from you. Please don't forget that you are always welcome to join us. Working for me may take your mind off of it for a while."

Aro turned back to me and smiled. He looked toward Jane and instructed her to show my family to their suites. Once they were gone Aro stopped smiling and looked at me with his blood-red eyes and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I am. I have to make things right with my family."

"Once you set this in motion there is no turning back."

"I am aware of that."

"I'll be honest, Carlisle; I could expect this request from Edward because he's experienced what it's like to give into his true nature but not you. Even though I have never agreed with your lifestyle I respected it. When it's all said and done I don't want you to regret your choice."

"My grandson is dead because of the choices that I made. For once I'm going to put my family first."

I knew that I was about to open Pandora's Box but I didn't care. For once in my life I was going to make a choice that centered on what was best for my vampire family and not humanity.

_**Just so you know, I don't write lemons. I may do lemon flavored sometimes, but that's as far as it goes. I have nothing against lemons; some of my favorite stories have them. I believe that some authors have that talent to write them. I know my strengths, I do not. Plus my daughter reads this story and it would just be weird for her to see me writing those types of situations. The small amount of cursing I have in this story is a stretch. She made sure to comment about that. I hope that doesn't cause me to lose any of you. **_

_**Next chapter you will get to meet Mia.**_


	21. Chapter 21 Bye Bye Chase

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Carlisle POV**

There was no use in putting this off any longer, so after my meeting with Aro I left their chamber and went in search of Mia. She was the reason I had come to the Volturi. She was the only vampire that could help put our family back together.

Mia was an _unofficial _member of the Volturi; she'd been living here since 1920. That was when she decided she no longer wanted to be a part of our family. Her transformation into the vampire world was a tragic one, and it was something that Edward had to relive every time he came in contact with Mia.

After I turned Edward, the first couple of years were very difficult for him. His bloodlust was very strong and he slipped up, and killed several humans over the course of time. Mia was one of those tragic stories.

_It was February, 1919. Edward and I were living in Chicago, Illinois. It had been a little over six months since Edward had killed a human so I'd begun to let him hunt on his own and venture off into the human population for short periods of time. _

_One night, I was doing my rounds at the hospital and Edward was home composing music. Edward decided to take a walk through the town to get inspiration for a new song. He had just hunted the night before and it was after midnight so he thought it was safe to venture out._

_As Edward was walking the streets, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. There was a very fresh scent of blood in the air. It was very close and before he could give it a second thought, his mouth filled with venom and his throat was on fire. Edward raced toward the source of his need. The scent was coming from a small house that was situated on the corner. _

_He ran up the front porch stairs and burst through the wooden door. His vampire instincts led him quickly into the kitchen where he abruptly stopped when he saw who the blood was coming from. There was a young woman standing in the middle of the room with a shocked look on her face; it appeared she had cut herself on a piece of broken glass._

_She never even got a chance to scream. Within seconds she was in Edward's arms and he was feeding from her. Even though she was not screaming out loud she was yelling in her mind. She wasn't pleading for her life though; she was praying that her son would not meet the same fate as herself. _

_The young woman tried with all of her might to fight Edward off. Of course, that was a wasted attempt. Edward was not planning to let go of her until she was completely drained of her mouth-watering blood. When a vampire fed, they completely gave themselves over to their instincts. I could never quite understand how Edward had enough control to release Mia when he heard a high pitched scream coming from behind him._

_It was Mia's son. Edward stepped over the body he was drinking from and slowly walked toward the boy. The child looked to be about four years old. Edward debated about what to do; He had absolutely no desire to kill this child. Instead, Edward placed his finger to his lips to indicate that he wanted the child to stop screaming. _

_The young boy was shaking uncontrollably ,and as he attempted to hold in his screams of horror, he wet his pants. Edward knew that no one would believe this child when he told people a monster took his mommy away. _

_Edward turned back to the woman that was now bucking and screaming on the floor. He was so tempted to finish her off, but typical Edward was returning and the guilt had begun to overtake him._

_Edward picked up the screaming Mia and ran with her out the front door. He came back to our place and explained to me what happened. I was very disappointed in Edward but my disappointment was nothing compared to how he tortured himself. _

_Mia didn't make it easy on Edward either. Even though her first year was spent fighting her bloodlust, Mia reminded Edward at every opportunity of what he took from her. He had taken away her husband, child, parents and friends and made her into a monster. We assumed that she didn't have a special gift; it wasn't until we came to visit Aro that her gift was discovered. _

_Aro was so impressed that he offered her a place in the Volturi Guard. Mia wasn't interested in being in the guard, but she also didn't want to leave Volterra so Aro compromised: Mia was allowed to stay with the Volturi as long as she wished, but anyone that wanted to use her gift had to go through Aro first._

Right before I'd decided to take Edward and Mia to Volterra to meet the Volturi, Mia expressed that she was in love with me. I never forgot the hurt in her golden eyes when I told her that I did not feel the same way; I saw her as one of my children. I was hurt when she decided to stay with the Volturi, but I guess I couldn't blame her. She hated Edward, they fought like cats and dogs, and I had rejected her. Once she found out Esme and I had married, Mia refused to speak to me ever again. Mia never found a mate of her own and that had really saddened me.

Mia's suite was on the other side of the castle. From what I was told she spent a lot of time alone or with Jane. I've always found that kind of strange. Nobody interacted with Jane unless they had to, but they spent a lot of time together and Jane seemed to be one of the only vampires that could put a smile on Mia's face.

I stood in front of Mia's door and raised my hand to knock, but before my hand made contact with the door it swung open. Standing before me was one of the prettiest vampires I'd known aside from Rosalie and Esme.

Mia was medium height with long, muscular legs. She had a long, delicate neck that she exposed frequently because she had a habit of tilting her head when she spoke. Mia had honey-blonde hair that hung midway down her back which was bone-straight. Right now she had it pulled away from her face in a severe bun that hung low at the nape of her neck.

Having such a plain hair-style only brought out the features of her face. They emphasized her perfectly arched eyebrows and doe shaped blood-red eyes. She had a thin, delicate nose and soft, pouty lips. She was sexy and her looks alone should have been enough for me to want her, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Mia tilted her head to the side and frowned. "Aro called me and told me that you would probably be on your way. I was hoping he would have talked you out of this madness."

She backed away from the door and let me into her suite. I was a little surprised with how she had chosen to decorate her home. I would have expected something more dark and cold like how her personality could be. But instead, it was bright and welcoming. The walls were white and her furniture was also white. The room had a bright and friendly girlish atmosphere. I could not help myself; I stood just past the opening of the door with my mouth hung open. This was not the taste of someone from the Volturi.

I heard the door slam behind me and I quickly turned and looked at Mia.

"Believe it or not, Carlisle, once I decided to stop my obsession with you I managed to be happy. The rest of the castle is so dreary and full of death. I needed a place that could help me forget what I am, at least for a little while."

I smiled at Mia and reached toward her but she quickly side stepped me.

"Please don't touch me. I may not love you anymore but that doesn't mean I can handle you touching me."

I put my hand down, backed away from Mia and walked to her couch to sit down. She followed me and sat in a chair that was across from me.

"Well, Mia, you know why I am here. Will you please help me?"

Mia didn't answer me right away. She leaned back in her chair slowly and stared at me with her crimson eyes. Her blank expression quickly turned to anger and she hissed, "Why are you here instead of Edward?"

"It's my responsibility to put my family back together. It's because of me that we are in this mess in the first place. Aro warned me a long time ago about trying to go back to something that I could never be again and look what it's done!"

"Does Edward know you have come to see me?"

"No one in my family knows I have contacted you."

Mia abruptly stood up and walked to one of her windows within seconds. She rested the palms of her hands against the windowpane and leaned her forehead against the glass. Mia brokenly whispered, "How can you ask this of me? No matter how brave I try to pretend to be you lay claim to my heart. You know that I could never deny you anything. But this is too much, Carlisle."

I quickly stood up and rushed to Mia's side. I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her as close to me as possible. I expected her to pull away from me, but she didn't. Instead, she leaned into me and rested her head against my chest. I lowered my head to the side of her neck and whispered, "Please Mia? I _need_ you. You are the only one that can help me."

I could feel her shiver; I could tell that I was getting to her. She pulled away from me and stared into my eyes as if she was searching for something. After a few moments, she turned away from me and walked toward the door. She opened it and said, "Tell Edward I need to speak with him. I will give you my decision afterwards."

Mia's emotionless mask was back in place. I knew attempting any further conversation would be a waste of time. I quickly walked past her out the door and back toward the other side of the castle. I knew it was wrong of me to display my hidden feelings for her but I had to do what needed to be done to assure she would give me what I asked for.

I reached the visitor's quarters and located Edward's room. I opened the door and looked for my son; he stood in front of a window not moving and not really looking at anything. I knew he heard me come in but he didn't turn around. Once I reached the window, I said, "Edward, I just left Mia's suite. She has asked to speak to you."

Edward did not look in my direction as he replied, "Why would Mia want to talk to me? She hates me!"

"Could you just go please? It's important, and I don't care to discuss it here where we might be heard."

Edward sighed. "Alright, Carlisle, I'll go see the Wicked Witch of the West."

Edward left the room. I followed close behind and decided that while he was gone I would spend some time with Esme, Jasper and Alice.

**Edward POV**

Mia and I had an understanding. When I came to visit she stayed out of my way and I stayed out of hers so I didn't understand what she could possibly have to say to me. I got to her suite as fast as I could because the sooner I got this over with the better.

I had more important things to be concerned about than bickering with Mia. Once I reached her suite I didn't bother to knock but just walked in. She requested my presence so she knew I was coming.

As I walked through the door, I noticed that Mia was sitting down in a white chair. She frowned as she pointed toward the couch and told me to have a seat. Once I sat down, I quickly looked around and whistled. "You know you've wasted your time. No matter how hard you try, you can't be Esme. This room is not who you really are and you know it. This is a cheap imitation of how you _think_ Esme would decorate."

I could hear her growl as she stared me down. She was pissed. I could hear the wood on the arm of her chair begin to crack because she was gripping it too hard.

I leaned forward and said, "Oh be careful, you don't want to destroy your wanna-do–it-like-Esme chair."

Mia took a deep breath and didn't respond to my taunt. Instead she asked, "Are you aware that Carlisle called me while your family was still in Forks?"

"No."

"Can you think of a reason why he would contact me?"

"To inform you of my son's death maybe?"

Mia gave me an evil glare and yelled, "Edward! I have not talked to Carlisle since he married Esme. Why would he call me now?"

I stared at Mia and realized that she was trying to get me to figure something out. I began to get irritated. Why couldn't she just say it?

Mia walked up to me and asked, "What is my power, Edward?"

Not a second went by before I realized what was going on and I was shocked, horrified, and hopeful all at the same time.

Mia nodded her head. "Yeah, that's why he called me. He's willing to throw away everything that has made him who he is for the sake of his family."

As Mia continued to talk I could hear all the resentment and hatred she had for me. "After one hundred years I would think you would have formed a backbone. You are weak and your weakness causes destruction.

"When you attacked me you should have killed me. Instead, you brought me into this life. What difference did it make that my son saw you? The damage in his life was already done. He lost his mother and my husband lost his wife."

I didn't want to hear this nonsense. We'd been through this millions of times already.

"Edward when you realized that Katherine loved you, you should have changed her. She would have forgiven you. When she died you should have stuck around and raised your child. Bella and her mother should not have made it out of that forest alive."

She was circling around me with a menacing gleam in her eye. "Do you see the pattern? Your inability to follow through the hard parts has caused nothing but problems for everyone else.

"You stood by and allowed that dog to kill your son. Why is Jacob Black still alive? He killed your son!"

What could I say? For once she was correct about everything she said. It should not be Carlisle coming to her asking her to use her power to help us. It should have been me.

I looked at Mia and said, "I'm asking you, Mia, would you please help us?"

Mia shook her head. "You're too late once again, Edward. When Carlisle called me things were already set in motion and my choice was already made and it can't be changed. I just wanted to see what you had to say for yourself. I wish Carlisle realized that you were the biggest mistake that he ever made. Why don't you do us all a favor, and do something to provoke Aro and get yourself killed?"

"Wow, Mia, your bitterness is very unbecoming. Was it a let down that the one time Carlisle does call you it's not to profess his undying love for you but to ask you to use your power for him? Does that make you feel used? Knowing that you will be doing something that will benefit his mate?"

Mia's crimson pupils instantly turned black. She turned away from me and yelled, "Get out!"

I laughed and said, "Yeah, I thought so."

I continued to laugh as I walked out of her suite and back toward my room.

**Mia POV**

Edward may have thought he had the last laugh but when it was all said and done he'd have a lot to be sorry for.

I picked up the phone and called Aro to inform him that I made my decision and to have the Cullens waiting for me in the meeting chamber at 8:00 a.m. sharp. I smiled as I thought about the pain I would cause the great and special Esme tomorrow morning.

**PTB Betas- twilightrocks122 and DreaC**

**As you can see Edward has always had issues and they just keep leaking out causing problems. That's why Chase was so messed up.**

**The real Carlisle is starting to show. He's not as **_**nice**_** as everyone thinks he is.**


	22. Chapter 22 It's Never Really Over

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

_**The morning after Chase's death**_

I could hear Sam's truck coming down the road, so I walked outside to help my dad get out of the truck. As they pulled into the driveway, I walked toward them, and stopped in front of the passenger side door.

My dad looked at me and as soon as he saw that my eyes were back to normal, he seemed relieved and smiled. I knew he was worried about Bella and me but I wasn't his _little_ Jacob anymore. Even though I was only sixteen, I was a man and a leader. Billy needed to let me do what was best for my imprint and for the tribe.

I helped Billy get into his wheelchair, pushed him up the porch ramp and into the house. I turned toward Sam and said, "Bella made breakfast, you are more than welcome to stay and eat with us."

Sam smiled as he walked toward me and said, "I was hoping you would say that."

I laughed as he walked past me through the door and straight to the kitchen. I closed the front door, and as I walked past Billy, he reached out and grabbed my shirt. I turned around and looked at him to see what he wanted. Billy inhaled deeply and lowered his head as he began to speak, "Son, from the time that you were ten I knew that someday, you would have to give up your childhood to protect your people. I always thought that I would be able to handle it when the time came.

"I'm learning it's not so easy to do because this isn't a normal situation. I'm not just letting you go off to college, get your own place, or get married. But you are fighting vampires and you pretty much chose your wife when you were four years old. That's a lot to deal with. Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life. Bella was almost raped by a vampire and you confronted a coven of vampires with limited backup.

"Bella was in the living room when she began to see what was happening between you and Chase. My heart almost stopped when she began screaming and yelling out random things. For a moment I thought that all this supernatural craziness was too much for her mind and she had snapped. Then I realized that her connection with you had given her the ability to see what you were doing.

"When you finally came home, you had yellow eyes and an animalistic vibe around you. It was very intimidating and I didn't understand it. So when you wanted me to leave you alone with Bella, I was hesitant. There is so much about your Alpha status that's unknown and right now I'm just a little overwhelmed."

I picked up one of my father's hands and squeezed it. There really wasn't anything that I could say that would make the situation any better or more bearable. At that moment, Bella walked into the living room toward Billy. She wrapped her arms around Billy's shoulders and squeezed and then she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Billy looked up and for the first time in many years, I saw tears run down his cheeks. It made me feel as if someone had taken a knife and slashed my heart repeatedly.

Breakfast was quiet. We all had a lot on our minds and no one wanted to make small talk. I was glad because my mind was consumed with questions that I had for the council members. The first one being, _"Why didn't Bella's parents move to La Push once they both knew about the werewolves and vampires?"_

I wasn't pleased with the fact that I had to let my Bells go to school. But since the Cullens were gone there was no need to prevent her from going. Bella's wrist was broken and she couldn't drive so we waited on her mother to arrive. Renee had called and said she was on her way to pick her up.

She was standing in front of me, I had my arms wrapped around her waist, and my chin was resting on top of her head. Bella sighed and asked, "Do you think it's really this easy?"

I didn't have to ask what she meant. I knew she was talking about the bloodsuckers. "It seems that way. They left with no problem. We were out numbered; if they were going to do something I would think they would have done it right after I killed the leech. It's not like they can bring him back to life."

Bella snorted. "I don't think it's over. I can't explain it but I feel alert and I don't understand what that means."

I lifted my head and frowned. I didn't want Bella to worry. I turned her around so that she was facing me. "It's my job to worry and protect you. You and your parents are safe. I may not think that we need to worry about retaliation from the Cullens but my guard will always be up and none of them will ever come near you again."

Renee pulled into the driveway. I picked up Bella's backpack, walked her to the car and held her door open for her until she was settled. Once she was situated, I put her backpack on her lap and closed her door. I leaned into the window and gave her a quick peck on the lips. I looked her in the eyes and said, "Have a good day, and don't worry. I'll see you when you get back. We still have a lot to talk about."

I looked at Renee and waved; she smiled and waved back. She pulled out of the driveway, and I stood there and watched until the car finally disappeared.

**Bella** **POV**

I couldn't get what happened yesterday at school and what happened last night out of my mind so the ride to school with my mom was very quiet. I realized that my life would make an interesting story. Yesterday I was almost raped by a vampire and my boyfriend was a very sexy werewolf.

The connection that Jacob and I shared was so intense that sometimes I'd felt like my heart was going to burst. I heard the things that Chase said to Jacob and I saw how he attempted to kill my reason for living, and I was so glad that Jacob killed him.

I saw for myself the other side of Jacob last night. I hadn't realized that I would ever be able to see the wolf part of Jacob unless I saw him phased but I was mistaken. When Jacob came into his room last night, I had my back to him. I didn't take a good look at him until I was done talking.

I guess anyone else would have been horrified, screamed, attempted to run, but after the initial shock wore off I saw the raw need, hunger and lust that my wolf had for me. I understood that he risked his life to make sure I lived, and he needed to lay a claim on what was his.

This was a major step for us. I was scared. I still felt like our relationship was going at hyper-speed and I was trying to catch up, but my wolf needed me. My mom and I had the sex talk when I was thirteen and I had sex education at school. I'd heard the usual school yard talk as well. If it were _my_ Jacob I would have expected a romantic, well planned out experience where we would have taken everything nice and slow.

But from the _wolf,_ I expected our experience last night to be explosive, rough, savage and painful. I was so wrong. My wolf was not a stumbling teenager that didn't know what he was doing and in a hurry. He went totally by instinct and was completely focused on my body. I felt like he worshiped every inch of me. It wasn't about him but it was about us. He brought out the need that I didn't know I had for him, and we loved each other in every way possible.

I should have known better, I knew that both parts of Jacob loved me more than anything else in this world and all they lived for was to make sure that I was happy and trust me, there was enough happiness flowing through me right now to last a million years.

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when my mom called my name. I snapped my head in her direction and raised my eyebrow to indicate that I was listening.

My mom was holding on to the steering wheel so tightly that it looked like her knuckles were going to pop out of her skin. She chuckled softly but there was no humor behind it.

"Isabella, I know that I am your mother and I'm supposed to be the strong one, but I can't just talk about this casually with my co-workers, you'll just have to deal with it. I wish that yesterday never happened. Honestly, I wish that I never met that vampire in the woods when you were a young child. Maybe none of this would be happening now. How is it possible for us to be going through something so outrageous and everyone else around us is so clueless?

"I envy our life before vampires and werewolves. I miss normal. As your mother all I want to do is pack your stuff and get you away from this place and go somewhere we can start over and just be happy and not cautious. It was so much better when I lived in ignorance."

I stayed quiet. My mother was the backbone of our family and she was always the one calming everyone else down. It wasn't often she vented and usually when she did she wasn't looking for a response but for someone to just listen. It was usually Charlie that she vented to or sometimes I would hear her on the phone with Sue. She never confided in me like this so I was kind of honored.

My mom released a deep breath and let go of the steering wheel. I guess the circulation had stopped in her fingers because she started to shake her hands. She turned toward me with concern in her eyes and a small smile on her face.

"How are you feeling? You were very quiet the whole ride here. I could tell that you were lost in thought. Billy told me that you saw Jacob fight and kill Chase. That's a lot to deal with."

"I saw Jacob's wolf last night."

My mom looked a little confused. "Billy told me that Sam brought Jacob home. Did he change into a wolf after Billy and Sam left?"

I shook my head, "No, that's not what I mean. Jacob was in his human form but he was not Jacob. His wolf was in control. I could see it in his eyes and I could feel the difference."

Renee suddenly became very interested. She pivoted her body in her seat and asked with wide eyes, "Were you scared? When he spoke did it sound more like growling or something?"

"His eyes are a little unsettling because they have a yellowish glow but besides that he's human. It's more his presence that is different. You know, that it's not regular teenage Jacob. The wolf Jacob is a leader and someone you would not want to cross."

Renee smirked and asked," Is the wolf Jacob just as sexy as the regular Jacob?"

I immediately began to blush. "Mom, how can you ask something like that? That question is wrong on so many levels!"

"What? The truth shall set you free. I hate to break it to you, daughter, but unless you are blind and living under a rock, Jacob Black is a nice piece of eye candy."

Well it was nice to know that my mom was back to normal. I reached for the handle of my door and said, "Okay mom, I think it's time to end this conversation. I'll see you after school."

"Oh loosen up, Bella. You're a wolf girl now. In case you didn't realize it, you're the envy of a lot of girls both in Forks and La Push."

I smirked and thought to myself, _"Yeah, and if they knew what he was capable of behind closed doors they would really hate me."_

**Jacob POV**

_**Council Meeting midmorning**_

I stood at the front of the room next to my father. It felt strange. He was the Chief; yet I was in charge of the meeting.

I scanned the room to see if everyone was there. Harry and Sue Clearwater were sitting together in the front row. Quil Sr. was sitting on the right side along with Charlie.

I cleared my throat and began to speak. "Yesterday, my imprint Isabella Swan was attacked and almost raped by Chase Cullen while she was at school in the library. She was rescued by other members of the Cullen coven and Renee was informed.

"I gave the Cullens the opportunity to leave Forks, but I was attacked by the hybrid. I had no choice but to kill him. I advised the rest of the leeches that the treaty was broken and they were expected to leave Forks immediately. Sam witnessed them go to the airport and leave the state early this morning."

Charlie stood and waited for me to grant him permission to speak. "Yes, Charlie?"

"Since the Cullens are gone what does that mean? We've spent years of preparation for a war. You killed a vampire and the rest of them left. Do you think they will come back to fight?"

"Honestly, I don't know what happens next. What happened yesterday was unexpected. I don't have any respect for the Cullens but I must admit that they seemed remorseful about what happened to Isabella. It was the hybrid that was totally out of control. He made it clear that Isabella would not be safe as long as I allowed him to live, so he had to die.

"There was no resistance when I demanded that the Cullens leave Forks so I don't know what will happen next. All we can do is stay alert and be ready for anything. Maybe the war was never going to be with the Cullens but with other bloodsuckers. Catori was never clear about that."

I turned toward my father and asked, "I would like to know, since the council knew that eventually leeches would be coming to Forks, why weren't Bella and her parents living in La Push?"

Billy looked at me and frowned. "You know the answer to that question, Jacob. You have to be Quileute to go to the schools on our reservation. She would have still gone to Forks High. Charlie is the chief of Police in Forks. How would it look if he lived on the reservation?"

I didn't like that answer. If they had been living here yesterday would not have happened. I opened my mouth to respond when suddenly I heard a blood curdling howl coming from the woods.

I sucked in a breath and whispered, "What the?"

I opened my mind to see who had just phased. It was Jared. Just when I was about to turn toward Sam to give him orders, two more howls could be heard in the distance.

Sam and I began to run toward the front door. Billy yelled, "What's going on, Jacob? Are those more wolves?"

As I ran through the door, I yelled back, "Yeah, Jared, Paul and Embry just phased. I guess that answers our question. Something _else_ is still coming."

**Mia POV**

I hated that vampires don't sleep. I missed that luxury. I spent most of last night staring out the window- _thinking_. At least if I could sleep I wouldn't have to think for a while.

Any hope I had that Carlisle would realize he loved me and want to be with me was shattered when he made the call asking for my help.

I walked around my living room running my hands through my hair and sighed. I hated that Edward was right. Everything that I had done in my life was in an effort to attract Carlisle's attention in hopes that he would realize that I was the one for him.

"Mia, stop moping. Carlisle made his choice and for once it was the right one."

"If my moping bothers you so much, you're more than welcome to leave."

Jane smiled and stood up. "It's time for me to go but not because I'm tired of your moping. It's almost time to meet with the Cullens and I need to be in position."

"You know what to do, right?"

Jane sighed in irritation. "Yes, Mia I know what to do. It bothers me that you aren't telling me what this is about though."

"I'm surprised you didn't attempt to fry my brain and make me tell you."

As soon as the words came out of my mouth I regretted them. I could see a flash of hurt in Jane's eyes before she lowered her head. She walked away from me and as she opened the door, she looked at me and said, "I could never hurt you like that. I care about you. You are like a sister to me. It hurts that you don't trust me enough to tell me what's going on but don't worry I'll do as you have asked."

_**Carlisle POV**_

_**8:00 am**_

We walked into the meeting chamber exactly at 8 a.m. The Volturi were already in position waiting. Aro, Marcus and Caius were sitting on their thrones with Mia standing in front of them. Jane was to her right and Alec was to her left. Felix and Demetri stood behind Alec and Jane respectively.

Mia looked all business this morning. Her hair was not pulled back into a tight bun like yesterday; instead it flowed loosely around her shoulders. She had on makeup today that accentuated her blood-red eyes. She wore Volturi attire that was mixed with her style, which consisted of a black long sleeved turtleneck dress that hugged her curves and stopped at her ankles. She had on black spike-heeled boots and the traditional Volturi cape which defined her authority and power.

Aro broke the silence when he spoke, "You may precede, Mia."

This was a side of Mia that I had never seen before. I'd never been around when she had used her power. Since I married Esme whenever we'd come to visit, Mia always made sure to be away. I felt bad about that, I knew it was because she couldn't handle seeing me happy with someone other than her.

With an unreadable expression, Mia began to speak, "Carlisle Cullen called me a couple of days ago and informed me of the death of his grandson. He then took that opportunity to request my help. From the looks on your faces it's quite obvious that he has not shared with you your true reason for being here. You see, my power is the ability to bring vampires back to life."

There were gasps. I could hear Esme whisper my name but I refused to look in her direction.

Mia looked directly at me and said, "I have the choice to accept or deny a request to bring a vampire back to life and I usually say no. Of course, most people don't get past Aro to even ask me. Since Carlisle had my personal cell phone number he took it upon himself to bypass Aro."

Aro laughed in the background and said, "No hard feelings, Carlisle. I would not have expected you to go through me. After all, Mia was once a part of your family."

Mia continued talking, "I've decided to grant your request and bring Chase Cullen back to life."

At that moment all of the tension in my body left. I thought she would tell me no just to spite me and to get revenge against Edward. I smiled; very soon my family would have another chance at a happy ending.

Mia tilted her head to the side as she looked at me and said, "If I were you Carlisle, I wouldn't smile just yet. You should have done your research before you called me because there is a lot you don't know about this process.

"Usually all I need is the blood of a human and some of the energy of the vampire that made the request. Since Chase is a hybrid, that changes things. It takes a lot more energy to bring a hybrid back to life. I have to resurrect internal organs and blood flow; I've brought two hybrids back to life since I've been a part of the Volturi and both times the vampire whose energy I consumed turned to dust. Unfortunately, when a vampire dies because their energy is totally consumed, they can not be brought back to life."

Mia looked into my eyes and for a moment she let the pain come through.

"Do you understand now why I did not want to grant your request? Your grandson will live again but in his place you will die."

**PTB- DreaC, Twilightrocks122 and Topazheart**

_**Thanks for the reviews.**_

**_Did you really think I could let Chase go? The possibilities are endless with him around to cause lots and lots of trouble. _**

_**Just a heads up...The Volturi use electricity and modern appliances when they want to. So they do use cell phones in this story. Mia is not an official member of the Volturi and she doesn't care for the dark old look that the Volturi has goin on so...she spices it up a little bit with her own style.**_

_**Next chapter will be exciting!**_


	23. Chapter 23 Pandora's Box Part One

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Carlisle POV **

_Sacrifice_

That word kept bouncing around in my head. It was what you did for the ones that you loved. My feelings for Mia were complicated, and I worked very hard at pretending that they did not matter. I never felt I was what she really needed in a mate. I had hoped that Mia's choice to be a part of the Volturi would have given her a chance to find someone better suited for her.

I was wrong. Mia never found that special someone to love and spend eternity with. Instead, she had waited for me. My self loathing increased a little more when I realized that she was another product of my bad choices. Maybe it would have been better if Edward would have just killed her instead of allowing her to become one of us.

I didn't know the extent of Mia's powers. I realized that she would not go out of her way to keep me alive if there wasn't a future between us. Could I do that? What would be worse: breaking Esme's heart because of my death or because I left her to be with Mia?

I had to think about how this would affect Esme and my children. Mia never told me the price for Chase coming back would be my death. I didn't have the time to go over the pros and cons of my next decision, so I turned toward Edward and said, "Edward, I need you to put your shield around Mia and me. I need to talk to her without an audience."

Jane stepped in front of Mia and sneered. "There are no secrets here. You may block your family out if you wish, but not us. Mia will not meet with you unprotected."

I looked at Jane and responded as if I was talking to a four year old, "I met with Mia in her quarters alone yesterday and nothing happened to her. No matter where Mia chooses to live she will always be a part of my family, and I would never cause her any physical harm."

Mia touched Jane on her shoulder and said, "It's alright, Jane. I will be fine."

Mia looked at Edward and said, "Let's get this over with."

Within seconds I was able to confront Mia without saying or doing something that would hurt Esme more than I already had. "Mia, why is this the first time you're telling me about this stipulation?"

Mia stood as still as a statue and stared at me.

My irritation grew. She just sentenced me to death and was acting like it was nothing. I walked toward her and stopped when we were inches apart. I locked eyes with Mia and said, "You would let me die, Mia? Is this your revenge, to bring Chase back but end my life? Since you weren't able to have me, neither could Esme?"

Mia's expression was controlled when she responded.

"In case you forgot, I tried to give you the opportunity to change your mind when we spoke yesterday. You were sure of your choice. No vampire has ever been offered a second chance to choose, but I did it for you because I was once a part of your family, and I felt I owed you that much."

A sudden roll of anger crossed Mia's face when she spoke. "Do you realize how much of a selfish bastard you are? _My_ child was ripped away from me because of this new life I was forced to live. I had no one to give him back to me. Have you ever wondered what that has done to me? I was a wife and mother and that was stolen from me. Everyday of my life I've felt stuck and unable to move forward. Edward took my life, but you robbed me of a chance at gaining a new one. Instead, you went elsewhere and gave your love to someone else.

"You wanted Chase brought back to life, and I am going to grant you your wish. Don't expect anything else from me. You are going to die. When this is over, all your family will have left of you is your dust in a container."

There had to be a loophole. If Mia was able to give me a second chance to change my mind then there was a way to bring Chase to life and keep me alive.

I slowly turned toward Edward and begged for his forgiveness with my eyes. I was about to put the final nail in the coffin of what I was evolving into. It was something I swore I would never become. A couple of days ago I was the good, honorable, peacemaking, Carlisle Cullen who held on to his human emotions, which in turn gave me compassion for humans.

Once I took this step there would be no turning back. I was about to cause a lot of hurt and pain, but I hoped my family would forgive me. I raised my hand toward Mia and grazed her cheek and seductively whispered in her ear, "Mia, I know there has to be a way to do both. I know that you don't want me to die. You love me, Mia, and I know that you could never be the cause of me leaving this world."

Mia shuddered and backed away from me.

"Carlisle, you set the choice in motion to die. Please don't insult my intelligence and try and seduce me; you aren't very good at it."

Mia looked toward Edward and said, "Release the shield."

I raised my hand toward Edward and said, "Wait, don't release it yet. I'm not done."

Mia frowned and was about to open her mouth to speak but I interrupted her.

"I'll leave Esme. I've always had feelings for you, Mia, but thought you could do better than me. If I make it through this alive, I will be yours for eternity."

I knew that with Mia actions spoke louder than words. I was going to have to show her that I meant what I said. The former Carlisle was always the romantic, thoughtful type who cared about making the perfect memories for the ones I loved. The Volturi's lair was not a romantic place, but at the moment that didn't matter. I roughly grabbed Mia around her waist and pulled her toward me.

Her eyes widened with the sudden movement and she stared into my eyes. I gave myself over to the vampire part of me that went only by instinct. I refused to try and analyze this. Those days for me were over. Mia must have liked what she saw staring back at her because she did not attempt to pull away. Instead she slowly raised her arms and placed them around my neck.

She scanned my face, and her eyes stopping when they reached my lips, and began to lean forward. I think she expected something soft and sensual, but I didn't have that in me to give. Instead, I tightened my grip on her and crashed my lips into hers. She felt good, and our bodies molded perfectly together. Our lips moved together in sync, and it was like we were always made for each other. I pulled away from her and began to nip at her jaw line until I reached her ear and I whispered, "I'm willing to give you what you have always wanted if you will keep me alive."

I let Mia go and I said, "Release the shield, Edward."

I turned away from Mia and I walked toward my family. Once I approached Esme she reached for me and grabbed my hands. The sadness in her eyes made me want to take back everything that I had just done, but that wasn't an option.

Esme squeezed my hands and asked, "How could you make such a choice without talking to us first? I loved Chase, but I don't want him back at your expense."

I gently touched Esme's cheek and I replied, "It's my fault that Chase is dead. It was my job to look out for him, and I will do whatever it takes to make things right. I was wrong about so many things, Esme, and fighting what our true nature is was the worst of them all."

"What do you mean, Carlisle?"

"Trying to live among humans and resisting their blood was unnatural. We were meant to hunt them, not live among them. If we had fought to give Chase what he needed he would still be alive right now. We stood back and watched Jacob Black kill and burn him to ashes. We did nothing but pack up our things and leave when he instructed us to. After this is all over, all I ask of you and the rest of the family is to be true to yourselves. Don't make the same mistakes that I made."

I let go of Esme's hands and I walked toward Edward, Alice and Jasper. Alice had a look of confusion and said, "I don't understand; why wasn't I able to see this coming? I've been checking the future, and I haven't seen anything for any of us."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe because our future involved Chase, so you weren't able to see anything. I'm guessing once he's alive, your visions will come back."

I looked at Edward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away from me and refused to raise his head to look at me. I sighed and said, "When I am no longer a part of this family you will be in charge. Don't make the same mistakes that I made, and please take care of Esme for me."

I turned toward Mia and said, "I'm ready."

Mia looked toward us and instructed, "Follow me."

We followed Mia through a door in the far left corner of the Volturi chamber. The room was cold and drafty; the walls were grey brick with a high ceiling. It looked like a place that invited death. In the center of the room there was a big concrete table.

Mia was standing in front of the table when she began to speak.

"This is where Chase will be resurrected. The process is simple and quick. Carlisle and I will both need to feed so there will be enough energy for me to pull from."

Mia smirked when she made the next statement.

"Feeding off an animal won't be enough. You will need the strength only human blood can give you. Carlisle come forward and stand next to me."

I could feel Esme grabbing onto my arm. By this point the part of me that wanted nothing more than to grab her into my arms and never let her go was being suppressed by the part of me that had tasted Mia's lips and the possibility of having more.

Mia yelled out, "Control her or Jane will."

Immediately both Jasper and Edward were prying Esme off of me and restraining her. I could hear her pleading with me to come back and not to leave her. I heard her tell me that she loved me and she couldn't live without me. I kept moving forward until I reached the table.

I took a glance at the table and realized that Chase's ashes were spread all over the table. In a few minutes my grandson was going to be a part of the Cullens again.

Mia turned toward Felix and instructed him to bring in the humans. Mia leaned toward me and whispered, "Feed on as many as you can. The more human blood you have in you, the stronger you will be."

A minute later there were six humans being dragged in with blindfolds on. There were four men and two women. I thought that I had crossed the final line when I kissed Mia, but this was truly it. I had never tasted human blood. I was about to kill several humans.

Mia pushed me forward and said, "You first."

**Jacob POV**

_The day after the council meeting_

I had decided that I must take it one day at a time. Every time I thought I had adjusted to what was the new normal in my life, it changed yet again. There were now four members of my pack. Sam, Jared, Paul, and Embry were all a part of a life that none of us ever believed really existed. I was so thankful for the pack mind. Once I phased, I was able to lock in to each of their minds and show them what their new reality was now. Paul, Jared and Embry took the news better than I thought they would.

There really wasn't much point in attempting to fight against it. It was a part of who we were now and that would not change. The pack understood the importance of keeping what we were a secret, and only their parents and future imprints were allowed to know. It was amazing how much could go on around a person and they not have a clue about it. All of our parents knew this was coming and had made preparations for it.

There was a trust fund for each of us to help pay for food and clothes, and once Paul, Embry, and Jared phased, their parents became a part of the council. I didn't know how well that would turn out, though.

Paul's mom died when he was a child and his father was an alcoholic. Embry only had his mom and who his father was had been an ongoing scandal on the reservation.

Embry's mom had an affair with one of the men in La Push, and she had never voiced who the father was, and no one would own up to it. So having her at these meetings would be a bit uncomfortable.

The pack was very intrigued about imprinting and asked a lot of questions. I showed them my experience with it and how powerful the bond was between Bella and me. They could feel that what we shared went beyond what any normal couple was capable of sharing.

Imprinting was a very complicated part of being a wolf. Even when the gene was dormant it sought out our mates. With being the Alpha, I was able to imprint even before I phased, but no other member of my pack had the desire to get into a serious relationship, except for Sam. I had a very strong suspicion that Emily was his imprint.

A wolf had to have a mate that was compatible and that could offer the support that he needed. It would be interesting to see who my pack member's mates were destined to be.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the school bell ring, signaling that Bella's school day was over. My heart began to beat faster as I anticipated holding her in my arms again. I looked toward the school entrance and waited to see her walk through the doors.

A low growl rumbled in my chest when I saw Mike Newton walk across the parking lot with his arm around Bella's friend Jessica. I hadn't forgotten about what he did to Bella a couple of weeks back. I would take pleasure in smashing his face in. I knew that Bella handled the situation, and she would be very angry with me if I approached him about it.

My thoughts about Mike Newton were quickly forgotten when I saw my angel walk through the school doors and across the parking lot. She was walking with Angela, and they were having a very intent conversation. Bells began to giggle at whatever Angela said. My heart melted. It felt good to see Bella happy, considering all of the chaos surrounding her.

It didn't take her long to realize that I was near, because when she stopped laughing, she began to look around as if she was searching for something. Once she saw me, she smiled and half tripped, half ran toward me. I pushed off of her truck and walked toward her. Once we reached each other, I grabbed her into a tight hug and spun her around.

I placed her back onto her feet and gave her a soft peck on her lips. As I hugged her again I said, "I missed you so much today."

Bella sighed and replied, "I missed you, too. I'm so glad that you're here."

I looked over Bella's shoulder and noticed that Angela had a faint glow about her. I knew immediately what that meant. I smiled and said, "Hi, Angela, it's nice seeing you again. Bella and I are headed to First Beach; would you like to join us?"

She smiled and said sure, it sounded like fun. She would follow us there in her car. Bella and I got into her truck and Angela got into her car and we drove toward La Push.

Bella placed her hand on my knee and said, "That was nice of you to invite Angela to hang out with us."

I kept my face forward when I replied, "She's someone's imprint."

**Bella POV**

I was speechless. Every time I opened my mouth to ask a question nothing came out. I realized maybe I didn't _want_ to know the answers to anymore questions.

"When I looked at your friend, Angela, I saw a soft glow around her. My instincts tell me that the reason why I can see the glow is because she one of my pack member's imprint. It's my job to ensure that the wolves in my charge find their imprints as soon as possible."

"Do you know who her imprint is?"

Jacob shook his head and said, "No, I think it's safe to think that it's not Sam. I'm almost positive that his imprint will be Emily. As a matter of fact, I sent him to her house to see her just before I came to get you."

"Jacob, don't you find it kind of strange that Angela is the second non Quileute imprint?"

"Not really. The wolf knows what it needs. It goes beyond being Quileute. Angela is a perfect match for one of the wolves, and only time will tell what it is about her that makes her an ideal mate."

I looked over at him as he continued to look straight ahead. "Do you know why you chose me?"

Jacob smiled as he thought about that answer.

"Bells, you keep me centered and calm. You give me a reason to want to do my best. You have been able to love me no matter what, and you are good with weird."

I looked down at my hands and said, "Catori told me that I would attract things that aren't good for me. Why would you imprint on someone who is flawed?"

Jacob sighed. "You are not flawed. It's not your fault that the undead are attracted to you. We haven't had a chance to really talk yet, but Bella, you are special. You are not a typical imprint. Our bond goes way beyond the normal, and I mean that in a good way. You have been able to see me when we have been nowhere near each other. You are special and I love you. Never doubt how important you are."

We arrived at First Beach, and once we were parked we walked toward the beach. Jacob pulled out his cell phone and called Embry, Jared and Paul and invited them to come and hang out with us. We were sitting in the sand, telling each other corny jokes when the rest of the pack showed up, minus Sam. I couldn't wait to see who would imprint on Angela. She was just getting out of a bad relationship with Eric, and she deserved to be happy.

I stood up and pulled Angela up to stand next to me.

Angela quickly whispered in my ear.

"Wow, Jacob's friends are hot."

Jacob stood on the other side of Angela and said, "Guys, this is Bella's friend, Angela."

Angela raised her head and smiled toward the guys and said, "It's nice to meet…"

Angela suddenly stopped talking. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were bright and wide. I looked at who she was looking at and sucked in a breath. It was _Embry_.

**I would like to thank kas90****_ and _****HEAR for helping me with this chapter.**

**The next chapter will mainly be about Bella and Jacob and they will finally have the "talk" about the direction their life is going in.**

_**Thanks so much for reading!**_


	24. Chapter 24 Pandora's Box Part Two

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Bella POV**

_I was standing in my bedroom in front of my full length mirror, mesmerized. Where had the time gone? It seemed as if no time at all had passed since I had lain down to sleep with months to go before graduation._

_I studied my reflection. My dress was white with a fitted bodice that gradually flared from my waist. It was an A-line style that complimented my slim shape. The dress was feminine, but not too flashy or too much lace. My hairstyle was simple but classy._

_I had never realized I could be so pretty. I was happy and my eyes were sparkling with excitement. The young woman looking back at me was not worried about the craziness that was her life, or the thought of getting married so young. The Isabella Swan that looked back at me was excited and hopeful about the future with the only man she had ever loved._

_Renee came and stood behind me. She smiled as she made eye contact with me in the mirror. She placed her hands on my shoulders and asked, "Are you ready?"_

_Before I knew it I was at First Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the sky. There was a slight breeze and the temperature was just right. Charlie was preparing to walk me down the trail of red rose petals to my Jacob, who stood next to Embry and Quil. On the other side of the minister, Angela, Leah, and Jessica were wearing crimson bridesmaid dresses and holding red rose bouquets. _

_Charlie grabbed my arm and asked, "Are you ready?"_

_We began to walk forward when I realized that I wasn't wearing shoes. I quietly chuckled to myself that I wouldn't have to worry about humiliating myself by walking in heels at the beach. While walking, my feet and the bottom of my dress were getting wet. I looked down. Instead of a trail of red rose petals, it was a trail of blood. Immediately, I felt dizzy and nauseous. I attempted to close my eyes and take deep breaths. I didn't want to puke or faint in front of all of these people on my wedding day. _

_I blinked and it was no longer sunny. The sky had been invaded by grey angry clouds; it was so cold that the chill would ever leave my bones. Fear began to creep up my spine and I yelled out for Jacob._

_Suddenly, I was no longer at First Beach but instead in a drafty room with gray brick walls and a high ceiling. It looked like a dungeon. In the center of the room where I was standing there was a big concrete table. Someone was standing across the room with their back to me. They asked the same question as Renee and Charlie. "Are you ready?"_

_I didn't know what I needed to be ready for so I asked, "For what?"_

_The next instant Chase was standing in front of me with blood- red eyes and said, "To finish what we started and to be mine for eternity."_

_I attempted to run and realized I couldn't move. My hands were glued to my sides, and my feet were stuck to the floor. I tried to scream but nothing came out. The evil monster standing before me smiled as he began to lean toward me and whispered in my ear, "This time you won't be able to fight me off, but don't worry Bella, I like it rough."_

_Chase yanked me toward him and sunk his teeth into my neck._

Waking up was like struggling to come up for air when I'd been under water for too long. I was shaking, sweating and screaming. I wrestled with the covers that were tangled around my legs because I didn't want anything touching me or confining my movements. Jacob was lying next to me sleeping. I started trying to climb over him. I needed some air and space. Jacob attempted to grab me and pull me back toward him, but I yelled at him to let me go and yanked away from him.

Jacob was so shocked by my reaction that he let go, and I scrambled off the bed and ran out of the room and down the hall into the bathroom. I slammed the door shut and slid down the wall crying. I wrapped my arm around my waist and rocked back and forth.

**Jacob POV**

I wanted to ignore Billy and bust the door down. Whatever Bella had been dreaming about had her so scared and upset her so much that she didn't want my comfort, but would rather lock herself in our bathroom. It made me wonder if her nightmare was about me being a werewolf. I walked away from the door to let Bells calm down. I walked into the kitchen and sat down. My dad tried to pull me out of my funk by shoving a plate stacked high with eggs and toast in my face.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome."

I ate my eggs while Billy watched.

Half way through I stopped and asked if there was something he wanted to talk about.

"Son, I think it would be best if you weren't here when Bella comes out of the bathroom. Whatever she's going through she needs some time to sort it out. Give her a chance to come to you."

I dropped my fork and pushed my plate away, crossing my arms over my chest before I replied. "Sometimes I think that Bella is going to realize just how much of a freak I am and leave me. I love her so much. I know I would die the moment she was gone."

"You are not a freak, Jacob, and Bella loves you. She's not going anywhere. All I'm saying is give her some space and keep an open line of communication with her. If you do that things between you will go more smoothly."

I pulled my plate back in front of me and finished eating, and then I got up and cleaned my plate. I asked my dad if he had heard about Sam and Emily. He told me he had. As I left the house I thought about how wrong I'd been. I was so sure that Sam would imprint on Emily, but when he went over there to see her nothing happened. Whatever feelings he had for her left him the moment he laid eyes on her, and it had been the same for her. They had agreed they would be better off as friends.

I went over to Harry's. He had called me last night and told me that Seth now had a fever. I rang their doorbell and Sue let me in. I spent some time with Seth and confirmed that they were right. I predicted that Seth had about another two to three days before he phased.

Just as I was leaving, Leah came out of her room. I sucked in a breath when I noticed the glow around her. She would be the first Quileute to become an imprintee. I talked to Harry and Sue and they agreed that I should find out who she was imprinted to as soon as possible.

I decided to call Sam and let him handle this because I needed to be there for Bella when she was ready to talk. I explained the situation to him and instructed him to bring Paul and Jared over to see which one of them she was imprinted to.

I found Bella sitting on our favorite log and just before I reached it my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was Harry. I almost swallowed my tongue when Harry told me who Leah had imprinted with.

**Bella POV**

I'd had nightmares before, but this was different. It felt the same as when I could see Jacob with Catori, when Jacob phased for the first time and when I saw Jacob and Chase fight. This dream was a sign of something horrible that was about to happen. Whatever it was would be a thousand times worse than what we just went through with the Cullens.

I was thankful that Jacob didn't attempt to bust the door down when I refused to answer his knock. I heard Billy tell him to give me some space and I would come out when I was ready. I'm not sure how long I stayed on the floor crying and rocking but eventually I decided it was time to get up and get ready to face the day.

I took a shower and got dressed. I went into the kitchen and there was a plate on the stove with toast and eggs. Billy left a note letting me know Jacob was out with the pack, and he was in his room. If I needed to talk, just knock on his door. I ate quickly and decided to take a walk to First Beach. I left a note for Jacob and Billy and left the house.

I made my way to the special log that Jacob and I always went to when we wanted to spend time alone together. I was barely on the log for five minutes before Jacob was sitting down next to me. He didn't say anything and instead of being as close to me as possible he was sitting on the opposite end of the log. I appreciated that Jake was trying to give me some space.

"Thank you, Jake, for giving me some time to myself this morning."

"Do you want to tell me about the dream?"

"I think it was a warning."

Jacob frowned. "What kind of warning?"

"We must be ready for more vampires. It's going to be bloody, and I also dreamt that Chase was coming after me. He was stronger than before and he bit me. I know that Chase is dead, but maybe one of the other Cullens is going to come after me for revenge."

"Bella, I think you just had a bad dream. You've been under a lot of strain, and it's normal for this to happen sometimes."

I shook my head. "No, Jake. This was more than just a dream. There is a reason why everyone is still phasing. Please don't take this lightly. We need to be ready for whatever is going to come."

"Okay, Bells, you're right. I'm sorry for not taking you seriously."

Jacob looked at me and asked, "Bells, is it okay if I scoot closer to you?"

I nodded my head yes and Jacob slid next to me and pulled me onto his lap.

"Bella, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, you can ask me anything."

"Are you happy with our relationship?"

I took my time before I gave him an answer. "Jacob, can I be honest with you and you not get angry?"

"Sure."

"Well, I'm scared about what our future holds and sometimes I wonder if it's too much for me to handle."

Jacob rubbed his hand across my cheek before he responded. "Bella, I'm here to be whatever you need me to be. If we are moving too fast we can slow down. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to be there for you like I would like, but I have other responsibilities that I must take care of. I know that being the Imprint of the Alpha is causing you to step into a role that goes against your nature but you wouldn't be my Imprint if it wasn't your destiny."

I sighed. "Jacob, that's the problem. If it wasn't for the imprint would we have fallen in love? You imprinted on me the first time you laid eyes on me when you were four years old. It has always been Jacob and Bella because of the imprint. Do you think without the imprint it would be Jacob and Bella?"

Jacob slouched a little. I could tell that what I had just told him hurt. After a moment of silence he said, "Honestly Bella, I don't know. Do you regret not dating other people? Do you think the imprint is the only reason why you are in love with me? Do you regret that there has always been an "us"?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Up until a couple of weeks ago I always thought we fell in love the natural way. I've always believed it was just meant to be. No one has ever been able to compare to you and I have never wanted to date anyone else. I've never had eyes for anyone but you. I don't regret a moment that we have ever shared together. I just wonder if we would have taken the same path without the imprint."

Jacob tightened his hold around my waist and said, "Have you thought about what we are going to do after graduation? That's when the second part of the ceremony is supposed to take place. There is nothing more that I want in this life than to have you as my wife. I love you, Bella, with my whole heart. But if you're not ready to take that step then I will tell the council that the ceremony will have to wait. I will support you if you choose to go to college and see the world. As long as I know that in the end we will be together and have our happy ending."

I had been praying that we could avoid this part of the conversation for a while longer. But flashes of the dream I had come back, and I realized I was happy and looking forward to getting married. It wasn't until I saw the blood that things changed. I was surprised by Jake's answer also. It showed me just how much he loved me and it also reminded me how selfish I could still be.

I was once again over thinking the situation instead of just letting things happen the way they should.

I wrapped my arm around Jacob's neck and said, "I could never go anywhere without you. My life is where you are. College can wait for a year or two. But there are three things that I want from you."

Jacob looked into my eyes. "What?"

I kissed Jacob on the nose. "I want you to propose to me the old-fashioned way, with a ring. The tattoo is cool and all but I want you to ask me to be your wife. I don't like being told that _I'm going to be your wife_."

Jacob smiled and said, "Okay."

I kissed his cheek. "I want to have a traditional wedding that I can invite my friends and family to."

Jacob kissed the side of my neck and purred in my ear. "So…that means when I ask you to marry me you are going to say yes?"

I kissed Jacob on his soft full lips and said," No children right away."

Jacob flicked his tongue along the edge of my ear and I began to shiver with pleasure. He said, "I think I can handle that last request, as long as we get to practice a little."

I giggled and said, "Well you know what they say…Practice makes perfect."

**Jacob POV**

As much as I wanted to stay with Bells on the beach, it was time to deal with the imprint situation. When Harry called he had informed me that Sam imprinted on Leah. I had been so focused on Paul and Jared that I hadn't even considered Sam.

I grabbed Bella's uninjured hand, and we walked back to my house to meet with my dad, Quil Sr. and Harry. Once we got there it was explained to Bella that since she was the Alpha's Imprint she was expected to lead and guide the other Imprints of the pack. It was also up to her to explain to the girls what imprinting was and who imprinted on them. I wanted to kiss away the utter look of horror that came across her face when she heard this.

Bella began to shake her head. "Um, no. I can't be in charge of the other Imprints. I'm still learning about imprinting myself. How am I supposed to lead others? They are going to think that I have lost my mind if I try to tell them there are werewolves and vampires. Oh, and by the way, your mate has been picked out for you, and since my boyfriend is the head werewolf and I'm his Imprint you now have to listen to me and do what I say."

Billy chuckled. "Stop doubting yourself. You stood up to a hybrid vampire that threatened to rape and kill you. I think you can handle a conversation with a couple of your friends."

Quil Sr. joined in the conversation and said, "When the time comes for you to talk to them the right words will come. It's in you to be a leader, Bella. You would not have been chosen to be Jacob's Imprint if that wasn't the case."

I could sense Bella was overwhelmed so I guided the conversation in another direction. I said, "Hey Bells, why don't you tell the council about the dream you had last night."

Bella shared the dream and gave her opinion of what she thought the dream meant. She told them that the beginning of the dream was her true feelings about marrying me. The trail of blood and the change in weather were a warning that there was going to be some bloodshed. Her confrontation with Chase meant the Cullens were coming back for revenge and this time they would be stronger and more prepared.

My dad suggested Embry's mom should be contacted to interpret Bella's dream. Quil Sr. and Harry both strongly disagreed and wanted to leave her out of it. The tension in the room started to get unbearable as the men stared at my dad angrily. They knew that because he was the Chief, he had the last word and no matter what they said he would do things his way.

I was sick and tired of the way Embry's mom was treated by the tribe, so I decided to put an end to it. "Since Embry has phased, his mother is now on the council anyway. From now on, when we call formal council meetings she is going to be a part of them, so what is the big deal about calling her now?"

Harry didn't hesitate to answer. "She is a home wrecking slut. She had an affair with someone on the reservation and conceived a bastard child that she flaunts in all of our faces."

I heard Bella suck in her breath and quickly put her hand over her mouth in shock. She was looking at Harry like he was a stranger she had never seen before. Quil Sr. was looking down at the table fumbling with his hands and my dad was looking at Harry with disappointment in his eyes.

I could feel the anger slowly pump through my veins. I did not care that Harry Clearwater was one of my father's oldest, dearest friends. I did not care that he'd always been like a father to me, and I did not care that he was my elder. I wasn't going to allow him to disrespect Embry or his mother in my presence. The wolf in me wanted to come out. I allowed just enough of him to come through so that Harry would spend the rest of his life thinking twice before crossing me by putting down one of my pack members.

I shook slightly and took deep slow breaths. I stood up slowly and backed away from the table. I walked toward Harry and locked eyes with him as I said, "Embry is a member of my pack. He is destined to spend the rest of his life protecting this reservation, which includes _you _and your family, from vampires. You seem to forget it takes two people to make a child, and Embry's mom did not act alone. She was sixteen at the time, so as far as I am concerned someone took advantage of her and was never man enough to admit it.

"I'm sure if I were to dig deep enough I could find some skeletons in your closet that you don't want anyone to know about. This discussion is over. If my father thinks that Embry's mom can shed some light on Bella's dream then we will go and see her right now. Don't be here when we return."

**I would like to thank evilpumpkin and dixieross for helping with this chapter.**

**Next chapter I will be introducing a new character. There will be more Bella and Jacob. Thanks for the reviews.**


	25. Ch 25 Not All Dreams Should Come True

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

***Warning* **

**This chapter contains a rape scene. It's not graphic but I want to make sure not to offend anyone. So please read with caution. **

**Bella POV**

The ride to Embry's house was quiet and uncomfortable. I was shocked, angry, and hurt that Harry could talk so cruelly about Embry's mother.

Being a part of the pack was supposed to bring a special kind of unity between the people that knew between us. How could Harry be so heartless toward a woman who had to raise her son single-handedly who was destined to be a werewolf and hunt vampires for the rest of his life?

We pulled up in front of Embry's house and before we got out of the car, Billy turned to me and said, "I think that Nata can be a great help to you concerning your dream. There's a lot that you could learn from her. You have heard a lot of bad things about her but all I ask is that you keep an open mind. If she trusts you, maybe she will share her story with you."

Getting out of the car I waited while Jake helped his dad get settled in his wheelchair. Jake went to the door and knocked and after a few moments, Embry's mom opened the door. She took a look at us and said, "Jacob, it's nice to see you. Embry isn't here right now. He's in Forks visiting with Angela."

Jacob smiled at Embry's mom. She was always very nice to him and he always felt welcome in her home. "We actually are here to see you."

She backed up and let us in. Nata continued to walk toward her living room and we followed her. Embry's mom turned toward us and gestured toward her couch. "Please, sit down and make yourselves comfortable. Would anyone like something to drink?"

We all shook our heads no. Nata sat down on the edge of a chair and waited for someone to speak.

I found myself studying her. She was a beautiful woman. She had a caramel complexion, almond-shaped chestnut-colored eyes, a dainty nose that was slightly crooked and full lips that many women paid millions to attempt to achieve. She was about 5'2', slim and had thick, beautiful dark brown hair that was layered and rested just past her shoulders. At the moment she did not have on any make-up. Her beauty was natural and I could imagine wherever she went she turned a lot of men's heads. Her beauty was intimidating and I was sure that was another reason why so many of the women in La Push were so cold toward her.

I'd come in contact with her several times over the years and realized I'd never seen her smile. She was always very serious and strict with Embry.

My thoughts were interrupted when Billy started to speak.

"Nata, we brought Bella here to see you because of a dream that she had. We need your help figuring out what it means."

Embry's mom looked at me. "So exactly what do you know about me?"

I blushed. Of course when she asked this question, every rumor that I'd ever heard bombarded my mind. I attempted to get out of answering the question by responding with a simple. "Huh?"

"Did Billy explain to you and Jacob why he would want you to meet with me?"

"Billy said that you could help figure out my dream and be a great help to me."

Nata looked toward Billy with unguarded eyes and sighed. She was quiet for a moment before she said, "Billy, Jacob, I need to talk to Bella alone. She will call you when it's time to come get her."

They didn't ask questions. Jacob stood up and helped push Billy out the door. I looked at Embry's mom and swallowed hard. This woman really made me nervous.

I cleared my throat and nervously said, "Thank you, Ms. Call, for taking the time to talk to me."

For the first time I saw her smile. She rested one of her hands on my knee and said, "Bella, it is an honor to talk to you. I've been waiting for this day to come. Catori came to see me a short time before she disappeared and told me that you would be brought to me and you could be trusted with my story. Oh, and please call me Nata."

Nata sat back in her chair and began to talk.

"I'm what the tribe calls an Interpreter of Dreams. It's a gift that has been passed down from generation to generation on my mother's side of the family. As a child until my teen years, I was trained in the art of interpreting dreams. My mother is well known amongst several tribes along the West Coast and that is how Catori came in contact with us.

"My mother and father are not Quileute. We come from the Tolowa tribe in California. Catori contacted my mother on several occasions to help interpret dreams that she was having. She lived on our reservation for a couple of months and during that time, my mother and Catori spent a lot of time together. My mother really liked Catori and wanted to befriend her, but Catori made it clear that she did not want be to be anything more than an acquaintance.

"Catori was friendly, but she kept her distance. She was a mystery, but we were drawn to her. When Catori decided that it was time to go back to La Push, she invited us to come and visit. My family fell in love with La Push and the families there. From that moment on, we would come and visit a couple times a year.

"Once I got pregnant in my last year of high school, my family stopped visiting La Push. When Embry was two years old, Catori came to visit us. That was when my family found out that the Quileute legends were true about shape-shifters and vampires."

Nata stopped talking and ran her fingers through her hair. She got up and walked to her fireplace and picked up a baby picture of Embry. With her back to me she said, "I have never told anyone who Embry's father was. Catori eventually realized who it was, but that was because of her powers. When she confronted me and told me she knew what happened, I refused to verbally confirm it. I had pushed that memory to the darkest parts of my mind. I didn't want to take a chance of allowing it to resurface. I didn't believe that I was strong enough to handle it back then."

I felt uneasy. Nata was about to share something that was tragic. I had a strong feeling that vampires weren't the only predators that La Push had to worry about.

Nata put the picture down and faced me. She had tears running down her face as she continued to talk.

"The summer I was sixteen, I began to baby-sit for some of the families in La Push. These families included the Uley's (Sam), The Black's (Rachael and Rebecca), and The Trujillo's (Paul).

"When Paul Trujillo was born, his mother decided that she didn't want to be married and a mother so she took off. Paul's father was left to raise a baby on his own. Over time, he became very angry and bitter and spent more of his time at bars drinking and fighting than he did working and taking care of his son.

"Soon after Paul's mother left, his grandmother moved in and helped raise Paul. His father worked nights so he could be home to help his mother with Paul in the day time. His grandmother had a sudden emergency one night and asked if I could come over to watch Paul.

"I agreed, since it seemed like easy money. I was asleep on the couch when suddenly the front door slammed open and Paul's father stumbled into the house. I could smell the alcohol before he came anywhere near the couch. As he attempted to walk by, he crashed into the coffee table, lost his balance, and half-way fell on top of me. I screeched and pulled my blanket tightly around me.

"I scared him just as much as he scared me. He jumped off the couch and yelled, 'Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my house?'

"'I'm Nata. Your mother had an emergency and she asked me to come over and watch Paul since you weren't home.'

"He stumbled out of the living room. I let go of a breath that I didn't know I was holding and my muscles started to relax. I realized that I was thirsty and got up to get some water.

"While opening the cabinet door and reaching inside for a glass, a hand abruptly grabbed me around my waist and yanked me away from the cabinet. I dropped the glass and it shattered as it hit the floor. I started to scream when a rough, dirty hand covered my mouth to muffle my cry. He was breathing heavily against my ear and I could feel the bile rising up my throat as the stench of his breath blew in my face. He lifted me off the floor and half dragged me out of the kitchen.

"My arms and legs were thrashing everywhere as I tried to get away from him. But the more I attempted to pull away, the tighter his grip became. He flung me onto the couch and before I had a chance to sit up and get away, he pinned me down by straddling my waist with his legs. I was trying to kick and hit him at the same time. He leaned forward and grabbed my wrists and held my arms above my head.

"I felt light-headed when I heard him fiddling with his belt buckle and realized exactly what he intended to do. I began to buck my waist, scream, and kick as hard as I could but he was too heavy and too strong for me to fight him off. I felt him yank his pants down and then he fumbled with my pajama pants. I screamed even louder and pleaded for someone to help me. Suddenly, my air was cut off when he started to strangle me. He hissed in my ear that if I didn't shut up he was going to snap my neck.

"I wanted to die. He was going to rape me with his young son sleeping in the room down the hall from us. I prayed that Paul's grandmother would come home at that moment. But as the moments went by, I realized that I was at his mercy. I begged and pleaded for him to let me go and I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone but he didn't stop.

"When it was over, he rolled off of me and stumbled out of the living room and a few seconds later I heard a door slam. I got up and quickly got dressed. I was just about to call Mrs. Trujillo and beg her to come home when I heard her coming through the front door. I ran to her, hysterical and told her what happened.

"She saw the broken glass in the kitchen, the finger prints on my neck and arms, and the blood that was on the sheet that covered the couch. But instead of calling the police and taking me to the hospital, she claimed that I was a liar and her son would never do something like that. She threatened me and said that if I accused her son of raping me, she would tell everyone that she caught me throwing myself at him and he rejected me so I made up the story of rape to get back at him.

"I left La Push the next day and never came back until Catori came for me."

Nata stood up and walked toward a desk that she had in the corner of her living room. She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a book. She flipped through the pages and pulled out a picture, and walked back to where I was sitting and handed me the picture.

It was a picture of a Native American man that looked like he was in his early twenties. He had thick, long black hair that was parted in the middle and hung loosely past his shoulders. His eyes were so dark they looked black, but they were open and friendly. He had a crooked smile and a dimple in his chin.

I handed the picture back to Nata and said, "He's very handsome. Who is he?"

Nata stared at the picture for a while and began to trace her finger over it. Her eyes started to water and she took a deep breath and said, "This is Kalani Crowe. He was my husband.

"When I was born, I was promised to Kalani. He was the youngest son of the chief of our tribe. We grew up together and became best friends. He was three years older than me, but the age difference didn't matter.

His family owned a construction business, so as soon as he graduated from high school, he began working for his father like the rest of his siblings. He was making preparations for us to get married as soon as I graduated from high school. We loved each other so much and had a strong connection. Kalani knew something was wrong with me the moment I stepped off the plane coming back from La Push.

"Of course I wouldn't talk about it, and I made sure that Kalani did not see the marks on my body. When we got back to my home I was thankful that my parents were not home. Kalani walked me to the couch and held me as I cried on his shoulder for hours.

"Three weeks later I found out I was pregnant. It wasn't enough that I had to suffer through reliving what happened to me every night when I went to sleep but there would be a living reminder about what happened to me also.

"I considered ending my life. Once everyone found out about this I could lose everything. Kalani would leave me, my parents would be disgraced and the tribe would turn their backs on me. I wasn't raised to be a coward, so I knew I had to face this. The only thing that I had done wrong was not coming forward and admitting what happened to me. I shouldn't have let Paul's mother bully me like that. Now if I tried to tell the truth, people may not have believed me.

"I told Kalani first and prepared myself for his anger and disgust. He told me that he knew something bad had happened to me and if I was pregnant then it wasn't because I cheated on him. He still wanted to marry me and claim the child as his.

"I didn't want to do it. I didn't feel it was fair to Kalani, but he loved me and wanted to take care of me. I promised I would go along with what he wanted. We went to my parents first and of course they were upset but since we were promised to each other, they got over it. Kalani's father took it hard and felt that Kalani's behavior was disrespectful to the tribe and his position as the son of the chief.

"We were married within a month. I continued to go to school and things seemed to be going well. The tribe was very forgiving and didn't shun Kalani and me. I feared that I would not be able to love my son because of how he was conceived. But from the first moment that I laid eyes on him I felt nothing but the fiercest love for him. I was grateful that I was blessed with a ray of sunshine.

"Kalani was wonderful with Embry. As far as he was concerned, Embry was his real son. For two years, we were a happy family. I was a good, loving wife and mother and Kalani was a wonderful husband and father. I was living the life I had always dreamed about, but my world was shattered once again when Catori showed up on my doorstep.

"She explained to Kalani and me about the cold ones and werewolves. We were told that Embry had the werewolf gene and his destiny was in La Push and not California. We went to my parents' house and Catori told them what she told us. Immediately, my mother began to cry. She said that she had been having dreams about wolves circling around me. Standing next to me in the middle of the circle was a grey wolf with black spots and eyes that looked like Embry's.

"My father thought of the worst case scenario and accused me of cheating on Kalani when I went to La Push to visit and that I had deceived everyone into believing that the child was Kalani's.

"Kalani explained that he knew the child was not his but he chose to marry me anyway because he loved me and Embry. Once the story got out that Embry was not Kalani's son, it caused an uproar within the tribe. Of course, only my family and Kalani knew about the shape-shifting and vampires. Because it was believed that I disgraced my promise to Kalani, our marriage ended. My name was erased from the tribal records and my father disowned me.

"Kalani was devastated. He knew some of the truth and begged me to admit to what happened to me. I didn't deserve to be treated like this. I was the love of his life and he didn't want our family to be torn apart. Kalani was going to leave the tribe and come with me, but Catori assured him that I would be fine and this was a path that I had to take alone.

"Kalani and I have kept in touch through letters over the years. Every year, he gets a new picture of Embry. Three years ago, he remarried and a couple of months ago they had their first child. I miss him so much and I don't think that I will ever fall in love with anyone the way that I loved Kalani. He was a good husband and I wish that Embry could have had that life instead of the one he's had to endure."

Nata looked exhausted and broken. Telling this story took all of her energy. I didn't know what to say. Nata was raped by Paul's father. Paul and Embry were half brothers. I looked at Nata and said, "You don't deserve the way people have treated you and Embry. It's not too late to come forward and tell them what really happened."

Nata shook her head and said, "There is a time and a place for everything. I would never condone anyone making the choice that I made. I should have looked for help until someone believed me, but that was not the path I took. You can't do evil to someone and not have it come back to you. He will get what's coming to him and when the time comes, the truth will be revealed."

"Why didn't Catori stop this? She always seemed to know what was going on."

"She only knows what the spirits allow her to know. She would not have allowed that to happen if she had known about it."

"Why have you shared this with me?"

"Because you are the Alpha's Imprint; if you know the wolf, you can guide their imprint. Angela was a perfect match for Embry. He needed someone that was not connected to this reservation that could look at him without judgment. Knowing about how Embry was conceived will also give you some insight about Paul."

My mind was spinning. This was so much information. I fell back onto the couch cushions and asked, "Can I have that water now?"

**Next chapter Bella, and the Cullens. Rise and Shine Chase! **

**Of course I must thank the wonderful betas Edwardsfavoritebrunette and Wolfskill. Betas are very important. I was encouraged to try and use a **_**gerund phrase definition**_**. I looked it up on Google and still had no clue **_**what**_** that was but I did my best. I don't remember hearing about **_**that **_**in school. **


	26. Chapter 26 Death

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Bella POV**

Nata gave me a glass of water and asked me not to share what she'd told me with anyone, not even Jacob. She felt the pack was too new to add this kind of strain to it.

So we changed the subject and began to talk about my dream instead. I told her what my dream was about and also thoughts of what it meant. Nata agreed with my interpretation about the marriage part and what the blood on the ground symbolized. She focused on the question that was asked by Renee, Charlie, and Chase.

Nata explained that the question "Are you ready?" was a warning to not let my guard down. I had to be prepared for anything to occur. Nata was very concerned about the end of my dream, so we spent most of our time talking about that part.

She asked a lot of questions about Chase. I explained that he was a hybrid vampire and physically different from regular vampires. I told her about the attempted rape in the library at school. She was concerned about the shield Chase had around us. Being human, I shouldn't have been able to see him when he was invisible. His family should not have been able to find us and penetrate the shield. She also was stunned to find out that I'd actually pulled away from Chase and scratched his face.

Nata had me repeat what happened in the library several times. She went over every detail with a fine tooth comb. Nata finally concluded that when I sensed danger I could disable a vampire's power. The more of a threat the vampire was, the stronger my power seemed to be.

This was a very dangerous power for a human to have. She hoped that the Cullens didn't realize what I was capable of, because that would put me in a lot of danger. She planned on sharing this information with Jacob.

Nata also spent a lot of time talking about the last part of my dream - how I was powerless to move my arms and legs.

She focused on what Chase said to me. "This time you won't be able to fight me off, but don't worry, Bella, I like it rough." She said that my inability to move and the first part of Chase's comment meant whoever was coming for me would be stronger and prepared to fight against me. The second part of what he said meant whoever was coming for me would get pleasure from making me suffer.

Nata asked me if I was sure that it was Chase in the last part of my dream and not his father. I assured her that it was Chase. She wondered if there was any possible way that he could still be alive and I assured her that he was dead and a pile of ashes. Nata said it was disturbing that it was Chase who grabbed me and bit me instead of one of the other Cullens. She had the impression that _he_ was the one coming back for me. I shuddered to think of that being a possibility. I didn't want to imagine the war that would arise if somehow Chase came back for me.

We decided that we had done enough interpreting for the day, so I called Jacob. Once he arrived, Nata shared what we talked about. He promised that as soon as the imprint situation was taken care of we would have a council meeting to discuss the dream interpretation.

Jacob informed Nata that there would be an imprint ceremony for Embry and Sam tomorrow night. My heart melted when I saw the brief pain cross Nata's face. She wiped a stray tear that fell from her eye and said, "I'll be glad when this part is over. It will break my heart if the ceremony doesn't turn out well."

Jacob gave Nata a hug and assured her that everything would be fine. Angela's reaction to Embry had been very positive so far. It was a good sign that they were hanging out today.

We said our good-byes and left. I called Leah and Angela and asked them if they could meet me at my house because there was something that they needed to know.

We drove to Forks in silence. What was I supposed to say? How does someone start a conversation like this? No matter what was said I was going to sound crazy.

Jacob felt the anxiety oozing off me. He patted my thigh and said, "Bells, stop stressing about it. The words will come and they will believe you."

I didn't respond. We pulled into my driveway and my stomach twisted in knots. I didn't want to do this. I expected my job as Jacob's imprint to be simple. _Give him a couple of encouraging words when he had a rough day, try to stay out of danger, and love him with my whole heart._

Talking to the imprintees and opening their eyes to the mystical world was just too intense for me. Why couldn't their imprints do it? I could see Embry telling Angela. "Hey Angela, I got something to tell you. Go stand way over there and watch this." Poof! Instant super-wolf standing in her yard.

I reminded myself again that this wasn't about me. This was about the pack and I had a job to do.

Embry dropped Angela off and soon after Leah showed up. I left Jacob sitting in the living room as I walked my friends upstairs into my room to give them news that would change their lives forever.

I was wrong. Once I started talking, I knew exactly what to say and do to convince Angela and Leah about imprinting. Toward the end of the conversation, I had Angela and Leah stand by my window. Jacob was standing in the yard by the tree line. I said, "Do it now." Jacob exploded into a horse-sized russet-colored wolf.

Twenty minutes later, a shell-shocked Angela was still sitting on my bed looking at the wall with her mouth hanging open and I was holding Leah's hair back as she hurled into my toilet for the third time.

**Carlisle POV**

Mia pushed me toward my first victim. It helped that he was blindfolded. I knew the Volturi would never have this kind of compassion for a human. Mia was thoughtful to make my first human kill easier.

I grabbed the man standing in front of me. He was trembling and I could smell that he had urinated on himself. He was so overcome with fear that he was unable to scream and plead for his life. For a small moment there was a battle within myself. Contemplating killing this human went against everything that made me who I was as a vampire. I became a doctor to help humans live long, healthy lives. Now here I stood about to take a human life to bring back my vampire grandson.

Was it worth it? Was Chase worth Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and Rosalie? If I went through with this I would lose them as a family. I also thought about what I would gain. My guilt for Chase's death would be gone, I could experience a life with Mia, and for once in my life I could walk this earth free to be what I was created to be and not be ashamed of it. This line of thinking wasn't practical though. How could I consider leaving the woman that I loved so much?

As I leaned forward I whispered in my victim's ear. "I'll make this quick and as painless as possible." He barely had a chance to whimper before I bit his neck.

I was in a euphoric haze. Tasting human blood wasn't new to me; it was necessary when I changed Esme and my children, but I did not allow myself to become one with it. This time my vampire instincts were allowed to embrace the nectar that was flowing down my throat. Time ceased and before I knew it I'd dropped my victim to the floor. I looked around in anticipation for the next one when I realized that there were four bodies lying at my feet.

I looked at Mia and she smiled at me. I decided that I wouldn't turn in my family's direction. I couldn't bear to see the disappointment in their eyes.

My body felt different. I felt like I was finally running on one hundred percent energy instead of seventy-five. For the first time in my vampire existence, I felt full and satisfied.

Mia had the bodies removed and motioned for me to stand next to her. She took my hand and placed her other hand on the table that contained Chase's ashes. I heard her say in Latin. "Ostendo sum vicis , ago iterum." This meant, "_Reverse time, live again." _

Excruciating pain and fire coursed throughout my body. The feeling felt like being ripped from the inside out. This was worse then when I was changed. I attempted to pull away from Mia. This pain was too intense but she wouldn't let go. A feeling of weakness began to take over my body. It wasn't like when I needed to feed, but like I was crumbling into nothing. I was dying; I was not going to survive this.

**Chase POV**

Every part of my body was screaming in pain. My heart was beating so fast I expected my chest to explode. I was gasping for air, but it felt like something was blocking my airway. I opened my eyes but quickly closed them again because the light was blinding.

Someone was clutching my hand tightly. Their touch was like fire and I wanted to pull away but I had no control over my limbs. Very slowly, the pain began to subside. My heart started to slow down, I could breathe, and I was regaining the movement of my limbs. I still wasn't strong enough to pull away from the source of heat that was wrapped around my hand but it wasn't hurting me anymore.

Eventually I did open my eyes. Standing over me was a female vampire that I had never seen before. She tilted her head to the side and said, "Welcome back, Chase."

She turned toward my father. "Take him to your chamber and let him rest for a few hours. Be prepared. In a few minutes Chase's memory of his death and Isabella Swan are going to come back and when it does he's going to experience a great deal of pain."

Edward came forward and helped me into a sitting position. I felt something being draped around my shoulders and that was when I realized that I was naked. Edward quickly said, "I need to get you out of here. I'll answer all of your questions when we get to my room."

My father led me out of the room. As we walked down the hallway, I heard a loud scream coming from the room we had just left. The voice seemed familiar, and for a moment I tried to remember.

Once we reached the bedroom, I was rushed inside and escorted to the bed where I quickly laid down. That's when the pain hit, wave after wave of excruciating pain. My head felt like it was going to explode and with the pain came the memories of my final hours of life. Jacob Black confronting me about Isabella Swan, us fighting, Jacob bringing me to my knees, and then nothing.

My body went rigid, and my back arched off the mattress. Looking toward Edward, I hollered, "Help me, this pain is unbearable." I began to shudder and convulse. I could smell the stench of the werewolf that took my life.

I forced myself off the mattress. I tried to stand but fell to my knees. Another wave of pain hit as memories of Isabella consumed my mind. It felt like my heart and lungs stopped working. There was intense pressure in my chest and throat. I rolled over onto my back and hollered, "Isabella!"

Everything went black after that.

**Esme POV**

I was helpless to stop Carlisle from making the worst mistake of his life. He killed those innocent people. Mia barely managed to kill two of the six humans because Carlisle was going through them so fast.

When he was done, Carlisle and Mia made eye contact and she smiled. I waited for my husband to turn around and look at me, ask for my forgiveness or at least tell me that he loved me. He never did. Mia took his hand and the resurrection began.

As Mia began to talk in Latin, a thick fog descended upon the room. I refused to take my eyes off the man I'd spent my entire vampire life with. I watched as he began to tremble and attempted to pull away from Mia's grasp. She never let him go until there was nothing left but dust.

I ran to my husband's remains, fell to my knees, and began weeping tearlessly. A hand touched my shoulder and I looked to my right. Mia knelt next to me. She looked at me with a fierce expression on her face.

"He's not worth grieving over. He tried to seduce me into keeping him alive. His last kiss was not with you but me. He was willing to leave you to be with me."

What Mia was saying to me didn't make sense. Carlisle would never do something like that to me or his family. Standing up, I began to back away from her. Mia was delusional and I wasn't going to let her get the best of me. I understood now why Carlisle always said it was best to just let her live her own life and not try and include her in ours.

Mia didn't break eye contact with me. As I backed away from her she continued to walk toward me.

She tilted her head sideways. "You don't believe me. You think your precious Carlisle would never be unfaithful to you. He did not want to die and he thought that if there was a chance for us to be together I would help him to live.

"I let him believe what he wanted to believe. I told Carlisle that the more he fed the better chance he had of surviving. I did that for your benefit. I wanted you to watch your husband turn into the very thing that he always fought against being and I wanted you to watch him die."

I reacted without thinking and backhanded Mia so hard she flew across the room and crashed into the wall. I regretted my action before my hand finished making contact with her face. Jane reacted quickly and sent me crashing to the floor writhing and screaming in pain.

What was I thinking? I'd just struck a member of the Volturi. My body was snatched off the ground by my neck and hoisted into the air. Mia's eyes were black with rage. She flung me to the ground, picked me up again and threw me halfway across the room into the concrete table. It crumbled as my body made contact with it. Her contempt for me had always been barely contained. I knew that was why she always made sure she was away when we came to visit.

My actions gave her an open invitation to wreak havoc on my body. I was lifted once more and forced onto my knees. Mia placed one hand around the top of my head and her other hand was clutched my chin.

Mia roared, "Tell your _children_ to come here!"

"Please…you can do whatever you…"

"If you don't want them to suffer your fate I suggest you do what I say and quickly!"

I looked toward Alice and Jasper and asked them to come forward.

Within seconds they were standing before me. I had never seen Alice look so petrified and broken. She tried to reach for me. Mia yanked my neck sideways.

"Don't touch her. I didn't call you over here to comfort her. I want to make something very clear. I am not a Cullen and I don't have an ounce of compassion for any of you. I didn't bring Chase back to life as a favor to your family. I did it because Aro has always looked forward to the possibility of Chase being a part of the Volturi and I wanted Esme to watch her mate crumble to ashes."

Mia paused before asking. "Aro, what is the penalty for attacking a member of the Volturi?"

I had forgotten that the rest of the guard was in the room. There was a small part of me that hoped that the friendship that Aro and Carlisle had would be enough for him to stop Mia in her tracks. His response though was chilling.

"The sentence for attacking a member of the Volturi is death."

Jasper stepped forward and yelled, "But Mia provoked Esme into hitting her!"

Mia laughed. "Like that really matters. The _Cullens_ are known for their restraint and desire for peace. Sticks and stones break bones, but words…"

Alice spoke up. "What can we do to stop this? Aro, please, don't let Mia do this! I'll join the Volturi and do whatever you want. Just please let Esme go."

I could hear footsteps behind me until Aro stopped in front of me. He faced Alice and said, "That is a very tempting offer. I have always been intrigued by the fierce devotion that your coven has for one another. I commend you for offering such a tempting sacrifice but unfortunately my hands are tied. Esme attacked Mia and it's up to Mia to decide her fate."

Once Alice turned back to Mia and locked eyes with her I was certain what my fate would be. I could see the agony in her eyes. Alice and Jasper turned toward me at the same time and they both had the same dejected expression. I decided that I wouldn't give Mia the satisfaction of me begging for my life. I let my body relax and I waited.

Mia leaned toward my ear and she said, "Any last words?"

Looking at my children I allowed myself to quickly reminisce on the wonderful vampire life we shared together.

"Alice, Jasper, make sure you get Edward and Chase out of here as soon as possible and never return. Always remember that I love you and Carlisle loved you, too. He made a very bad choice but please don't dwell on that. Remember the good times and never forget it's worth fighting to be honorable."

I felt a sudden rush of gratification when the next words came out of my mouth. "Mia, you were never a Cullen because you're dark, twisted, and have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

"_I_ was Carlisle's reason for being. We shared a love that you could never understand. I feel nothing but pity for you."

Mia started to tremble and the last words that I heard come from her mouth were. "You can join Carlisle in hell now."

**A moment of silence for Carlisle and Esme… OKAY, I can explain! I sat in front of my laptop for two days stuck after Carlisle bit the human trying to figure out how to make the story progress with him alive.**

**I just couldn't do it. As soon as I made up my mind that he would die the rest of the chapter flowed like word vomit. I had no idea Esme was going to die until I wrote Chase say he heard someone scream. My mind disconnected from my hands and when it reattached she was dead.**

**The good news? Chase is back. Can I get a "yeah?" **

**Please don't give up on me now. I have a little bit of a dark side so something like this was bound to happen. **

_**Thanks Wolfskill for your help with this chapter.**_


	27. Chapter 27 Pain and Suffering

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

_**Ages of the wolf pack **_

_Jacob 16/ Bella 18_

_Sam 24/ Leah 19_

_Embry 16/ Angela 18_

_Paul 21/Rachel 21_

_Quil 16_

_Seth 15_

_Collin 15_

_Brady 15_

_**Cullens**_

_Chase 18_

_ Other vampires over 50 years_

**Bella POV**

This had been a very long day. I woke up this morning freaked out after having the dream from hell. Jacob and I had the most intense conversation about our future that we have ever had. I found out that Embry was the product of his mom being raped and he was Paul's half-brother. The highlight of the day? I had to inform my best friends that they were now a part of the mystical world.

I was exhausted, but feared going to sleep. I was worried that once I closed my eyes I would have another dream about what was coming. I didn't want to deal with anything else right now.

Angela was upstairs sleeping. Leah had been too upset to drive home, so Sue had come and picked her up. Sam was beside himself. He wanted to comfort Leah and take her home. But we told Sam that seeing him would only make matters worse. Jacob ordered Sam to stay away from Leah until she asked for him. Even if she tried to avoid him, he would still see her at the imprint ceremony tomorrow night.

After a good night's sleep, Angela would be fine. She was a lot like me. She was able to adjust to life as it came at her. She was very perceptive and when I told her about the Cullens she didn't seem too surprised. Leah, on the other hand, totally lost it. She couldn't get past the fact that our parents had kept this from us all our lives. She believed everything that I told her and seeing Jacob turn into a wolf wasn't what had her vomiting in my toilet.

Leah was freaked out that Sam had imprinted on her. The thought that she was connected to a man that she only knew in passing was too much for her to handle. She had her life planned out. She had graduated from high school last year and planned to attend the JC in Port Angeles in the fall. She was focused on establishing a career, so being in a relationship was the furthest thing from her mind.

Jacob and I were sitting in the living room on the couch. My head was lying on Jake's shoulder and he was moving his hand lightly up and down my arm. I inhaled and was consumed with Jacob's intoxicating smell. He smelled like the forest after a rain storm. It was very relaxing and I found myself closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

I didn't know how long I'd dozed off but I was suddenly awakened by the sound of a phone. I didn't open my eyes but half listened as I heard Jacob answer his phone. I could tell that whatever he was being told was not pleasant because he instantly stiffened next to me. Once he hung up, I asked, "Is everything okay?"

Jacob began to rub his eyes and slumped back onto the couch. "That was my dad. Rachel's home."

"You don't sound very excited about it. I know that it broke your Dad's heart when she left. Isn't this a good thing that she's back?"

Jacob didn't answer me. Instead he stood up and quickly left the living room and walked into the kitchen toward the back door. I yelled out, "Hey! Jacob, what's going on? Is Rachel okay?"

He was facing the kitchen door that led outside. He wouldn't turn around and look at me, but instead he braced his hands on the door and leaned his forehead against it. Jake was starting to scare me. I quickly stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist and whispered, "Please, talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

"Rachel came home about an hour after I left to come and pick you up from Nata's. Billy didn't call me sooner because she wanted me to come home and be surprised."

Jacob stopped talking. I waited to see if he would continue, but he said nothing. Instead, Jake lowered his hands and rested them on top of my hands that were still around his waist. He gently pried my hands from around him. This surprised me; Jacob was a very affectionate person and he was always trying to find a reason to touch me. I backed up to give him some space.

He turned around and looked like he had the whole world on his shoulders. He sank to the floor and sobbed. I didn't know what to say or do. I was used to Jacob always being so strong and comforting me but at this moment he looked like the sixteen year old that he was. I fell to my knees next to him and decided that it was more important to let him get his feelings out than to pressure him for answers. So I sat next to him and pulled him toward me until his head was resting on my lap.

As Jake cried, I ran my fingers through his hair and began to sing a Quileute lullaby that his mother used to sing to us before she died. He curled up into a fetal position. As I continued to sing, he began to relax and eventually he fell asleep. About forty-five minutes later, Charlie and Renee came home. They were surprised to see us on the floor in the kitchen with Jacob sleeping like a baby on my lap.

My dad looked at me and raised one eyebrow. I whispered, "Jacob got a phone call from Billy about Rachel being home. He wouldn't tell me anything else. He started crying and eventually fell asleep."

Renee shook her head and said, "He's had a lot to deal with and now the day Rachel comes back home Paul imprints on her."

"Wait…what? Paul _imprinted _on Rachel?"

Renee and Charlie shook their heads yes at the same time. I let out a long breath. I realized that Jacob was on overload right now and his mind had to shut down for a while. He couldn't deal with anything else tonight.

"Mom, could you do me a favor? Call Billy and let him know that Jacob and I will be there first thing in the morning to deal with Paul and Rachel. Also, Angela is upstairs sleeping, so I guess Jacob and I will be sleeping on the sofa bed tonight."

Charlie helped me get Jacob onto the sofa bed. I didn't bother to change clothes. I crawled into the bed next to my wolf and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The smell of coffee and bacon woke me up the next morning. I quickly realized that the space next to me was cold and empty. I got up and walked into the kitchen. My mom, dad, and Angela were all sitting down eating their breakfast. Charlie looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Bells."

"Good morning. Where's Jacob?"

"He left about thirty minutes ago to talk to Paul. Whenever you're ready, I will take you to Billy's house. Billy wants to talk to you before you talk to Rachel."

I didn't respond right away. I went to the counter, made myself a plate and sat down. Looking at Angela I could tell that she was nice and rested. "How are you feeling this morning, Angela?"

She looked at me and smiled. "I feel good. I'm excited about tonight and seeing Embry again."

"So the imprint wolf thing doesn't bother you?"

"No. For some reason it doesn't. I've watched you and Jacob over the years and the love and devotion that you two share is amazing. I look forward to sharing something like that with Embry."

"I don't want to discourage you, but I want to make sure that you see the whole picture. The new world that you've been introduced to is dangerous. The werewolves exist because there's a serious threat coming. We'll all have to be prepared and ready for whatever is out there."

Angela continued to eat with a thoughtful expression on her face. After a moment she said, "Do we have to tell my parents about all of this?"

"Your life is about to change drastically. Your parents need to know so that they can support you. It will make it easier to keep them protected if they know what dangers are out there. Being an imprint makes you and your parents prime targets for attacks. Don't worry; a plan is already in place on how to tell your parents. I have to go to La Push to talk to Billy and Rachel. When I am done we will go to Port Angeles and get dresses for tonight's ceremony."

I quickly took a shower and got dressed. It didn't take Charlie long to drive me to La Push. Billy and Rachel were both in the living room watching TV. Rachel turned in my direction and when she recognized me she stood up. As she walked toward me she said, "Bella, it's so nice to see you! Wow, you've grown up to be a beautiful young lady. I've heard that you and my brother are finally a couple. I'm glad. I've always liked you."

I gave Rachel a hug. I was surprised that she even remembered me. She was always out with her friends whenever I came around to play with Jacob. I gave her a tight hug and told her that I was happy to see her too.

Billy cleared his throat which caused us to look in his direction. He was looking at Rachel. "Hey Rach, could you excuse Bella and me for a moment? I need to discuss something with her."

Rachel looked between Billy and me with a confused expression on her face but she said sure and left the room. I sat down on the couch and waited for Billy to speak.

"I think you need to know a little bit about Paul and Rachel before you talk to her."

"Okay."

"We've known for some years about the boys phasing, so we had to make preparations. Paul's father was an alcoholic and not a very good parent. Paul's grandmother was his primary caregiver until she died when he was fourteen. He started getting into trouble in school. He had a very bad temper and it didn't take much to set him off. Paul needed a positive role model in his life so I volunteered to take him under my wing.

"I gave him odd jobs to do around the house, he ate dinner with us almost every night, and I encouraged him to make friends with Jared and Sam. He was like a second son to me. He spent more time at our house then he did at his own. Paul had always had a crush on Rachel but she didn't give him the time of day. He wasn't her type. He was too hot-headed and rough around the edges.

"He asked her out once and she turned him down. Paul wasn't used to girls turning him down. He demanded to know why she wouldn't go out with him. Rachel told the truth. She told Paul that she didn't like his temper, he didn't take school serious enough, and he was disrespectful to women. He couldn't argue with her. Everything that she said was true. He asked her if he changed would she consider going out with him and she told him maybe.

"Paul slowly started to change. He stopped getting into fights at school. When he would come over after school, he sat down with Rachel and Rebecca and did his homework. He spent time with Jacob playing ball and going to the beach. Rachel noticed Paul's efforts and she went to him one day and asked him if he would like to go out.

"They were inseparable after that. Rachel was a lot more domesticated than Rebecca. She didn't want to go to college. She wanted to get married right after high school and have lots of children. Paul wasn't as enthusiastic as Rachel though. His childhood was rough and he didn't grow up in a home where he got to see positive relationships. Paul loved Rachel though and I think he would have married her just to make her happy.

"Right after graduation, Rebecca hightailed it out of La Push and moved to Hawaii on a full college scholarship. Two weeks later Rachel came home one day and announced that she was leaving. She decided that the memories of Sarah were too much for her and she needed to get out of La Push.

"She broke up with Paul and left. It was two months before she wrote me to let me know that she was okay and where she was living. Paul was devastated. He wouldn't believe that it wasn't his fault that she left. He felt that if he had been a better person maybe she would have loved him enough to stay.

"He stopped coming around. I worried that he would go back to how he used to be, but he didn't. His friendship with Jared and Sam continued and they started working together. Soon after, he moved out of his father's house into his own place. Paul would call me from time to time to make sure that I was okay and didn't need anything and every time Rachel wrote him a letter he would tell me about it. I could always see the excitement and hope that someday she would come back to him."

I had a very sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Her story sounded very familiar. I suddenly gasped when I realized what was bothering me. I thought about Nata and what happened to her. Now I understood why I needed to hear Nata's story. Something happened between Rachel and Paul's father. When I talked to Rachel I would have to be very blunt with her to get her to tell me everything. I _almost _pitied Paul's father because when Jacob found out about _this_ he was going to kill him.

**Jacob POV**

How much was a person supposed to take before they crack? Every moment of my life was filled with drama. My father's phone call last night was the last straw. I couldn't deal with it. I had so much on my plate already. I had four phased wolves, four teenaged boys that would be phasing within the next couple of days. Sam, Paul and Embry had imprinted, a Cullen attacked my imprint, something was coming to attack us, and now not only was my sister back but she had also been dragged into this supernatural world.

I didn't remember what happened after I hung up with my father except hearing Bella singing. It calmed me and I was able to relax enough to let go and sleep. I woke up this morning ready to face the day again.

I got up quietly so I wouldn't wake Bells up and went into the kitchen. Renee and Charlie were already up. Renee placed a plate on the table and told me to have a seat. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I took the first bite of bacon. I ate quickly. There was so much to do today before the ceremony tonight. I called my dad to let him know that I was on my way to find Paul and talk to him and to confirm that the arrangements were set to meet with Angela's parents. He asked me to make arrangements for Bella to come over. He had to talk to her before she talked to Rachel. Charlie volunteered to bring Bella to La Push and Renee said that she would take Bella and Angela to Port Angeles to buy dresses for tonight's ceremony.

After Charlie dropped Bella off he was going to pick up Quil Sr. and Nata and meet the Webers at their home to have a talk. Charlie promised to call me the moment the meeting was over to let me know how it went.

I left Forks and headed back to La Push. Paul's reaction to imprinting on Rachel was strange. As much as he still loved her he should have been relieved and happy that she would be the one for him, but instead he panicked and ran off. I didn't go home but instead I went by Paul's house to see if he was there. The house was empty so I walked to his backyard and once I was hidden in the trees I undressed and phased.

The connection with Paul was sudden and very painful. There was so much self-loathing coming from his mind it was almost crippling. I couldn't see where he was because he had his eyes closed.

"_Paul, open your eyes so I can see where you are."_

He did not respond. I didn't like to use my alpha voice on my pack but Paul gave me no choice.

"_Open your eyes now!"_

Immediately Paul opened his eyes and I could see where he was. He was sitting on the edge of a cliff that was overlooking First Beach. It was the cliff that we went to when we wanted to cliff dive.

It didn't take me long to reach Paul and when I did I instructed him to change back to human form so we could talk. Several emotions crossed Paul's face as he looked at me: shame, sadness, anger, and hopelessness.

Paul turned his back to me and slumped his shoulders forward.

"I'm so sorry Jacob. I never would have gone over there if I thought there was a chance I would imprint on Rachel. I'll fight it. You don't have to worry. I won't ruin her life."

Listening to Paul talk was painful. His voice was so raw with emotion. I could tell that he had been crying for a long time because his voice sounded cracked and dry. I didn't understand where all of this self-hatred was coming from though. Paul was like a brother to me. He spent many years hanging out with my family. He ate with us, slept on our couch and, after a while, dated my sister.

When Rachel left, he stopped coming around as much, but we were still friends. I was glad that if one of the members of my pack had to imprint on my sister it was Paul. They would be perfect for each other. She brought out the best in Paul. She kept him human and caring. If it had not been for her and Billy, he would have walked down the same path as his dad.

"Paul, why are you apologizing for imprinting on my sister? Why would you think that I would have a problem with that?"

"Rachel doesn't want to be here. She left to live a life outside of La Push. She's going to be devastated when she realizes that she's been sentenced to stay here because of me."

"First of all, it was never your choice _who_ you would imprint on. That was predetermined before you were born. Rachel is back in La Push to stay and she decided that _before_ you imprinted on her. Dude, you really need to stop thinking so lowly of yourself. You are a great guy who survived a rough childhood. Have you really taken the time to look at your life? You only have a high school education but are co-owner of an Auto Repair Shop. You used the money that your grandmother left you to buy yourself a house and you didn't spend it partying and drinking like your father did."

"Rachel is going to be okay with you imprinting on her. She still cares about you. For once in your life, accept that something good is happening to you. You deserve to have someone in your life who will stand by your side and support you. Rachel is perfect for you because she won't put up with your crap and I know that you will love and respect her the way she deserves to be loved and respected."

After talking to Paul for a while longer I decided that I needed to have a pack meeting so I called Sam, Jared and Embry over to Paul's place. I wanted to give them a heads up on what to expect at the imprint ceremony tonight.

**Bella POV**

After my talk with Billy he went to his room to lie down for a while so he could be rested for tonight. I went to Rachel's room and knocked on her door. "Come in!" Rachel yelled.

I slowly opened the door and stepped in. Rachel was taking clothes out of a suitcase and putting them in her dresser drawer.

"Um…Rachel could I talk to you for a few minutes?"

She closed her suitcase and turned to me.

"Sure, what's up, Bella?"

"What made you come back to La Push?"

Rachel sat down on her bed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I came home from work one night last week and called Paul. We talked for a while and when we hung up I realized that I missed him and my family and wanted to come back home."

I sat down on the floor Indian-style and looked up into Rachel's eyes. "Rachel, I know why you left La Push and it wasn't because you were trying to get away from the memory of your mother. It was because of what happened between you and Paul's father."

I could tell that my statement shocked her. Her eyes grew wide and she sucked in a breath. But the shock quickly turned to anger; she narrowed her eyes and clinched her hands into fists.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about."

"Yes, you do. I'm not accusing you of doing anything wrong. I'm saying that I know what Mr. Trujillo did to you."

Rachel didn't say anything for a while. Her lip trembled and she whispered, "I can't talk about this, Bella. It took too long for the nightmares to stop."

"Why did you run away? Your dad would have been there for you."

"That's not why I left. I didn't want Paul to find out; I was scared of what he would have done if he knew what his father tried to do to me."

"_Tried_ to do to you? He didn't rape you?"

"No."

"Rachel, I need you to tell me exactly what happened."

Rachel stood up abruptly and walked around me toward her door. I quickly stood up in case she tried to leave.

As she reached for the door knob and opened the door she said, "I'm not telling you anything. This conversation is over."

I saw a red haze and felt a sudden rush of anger when she attempted to dismiss me. I slammed the door shut and pushed her away from the door.

"Yes, you will tell me whatever I need to know. Now sit down and answer my question. What happened between you and Mr. Trujillo?"

I was shocked at myself. I had never pushed another person before. Rachel was bigger than me and she could have stomped me into the ground if she chose to. I noticed that she wasn't angry anymore but instead she was looking at me with fear. I walked toward her and she backed away from me.

Once she backed into her bed she slowly sat down and continued to stare at me. I was beginning to get a little uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry that I lost my temper like that, it won't happen again. You don't have to look at me like that."

"Your eyes."

"What?"

"Your eyes are yellow."

I walked to the mirror that was hanging on her wall. I gasped when I saw my reflection. My eyes were no longer dark brown but yellow. I quickly closed them. I felt faint. This could not be happening. What was going on with me?"

Rachel whispered behind me. "What _are_ you?"

I turned around and said, "I'm the Alpha's Imprint. My eyes have never changed before but it must have something to do with my temper."

"Who is the Alpha and what's an imprint?"

"You need to answer my question first. What happened between you and Paul's father?"

Rachel's body stiffened and it looked like she was trying to keep her mouth closed. After a few seconds of struggling she began to speak.

"Billy always warned me to stay away from Paul's father because he was not a very nice man. I had witnessed on several occasions how cruel he could be to Paul. One day, Paul came over to do some work for my dad. He had a black eye and his lip was swollen. At first my father thought that he'd gotten into a fight at school. After questioning Rebecca and I he found out that Paul had not gone to school that day.

"Billy interrogated Paul until he found out exactly what had happened. He had gotten into an argument with Mr. Trujillo about my family. His father hated my family and was against Paul dating me. Paul told his father that he would not break up with me or stop coming over to our house so his father hit him.

"Billy made some phone calls and couple of hours later Charlie, Quil Sr. and Harry came over and they had a duffel bag with Paul's clothes in it. He stayed with us for about a month before his father came over and took Paul home.

"To keep the peace at home Paul stopped coming over as much. So I decided to surprise him and go over there so we could hang out a little. Once I realized Paul was not home I should have left but I didn't want to be rude and I wanted his father to like me.

"So I asked him if I could come in and wait for Paul. He backed away from the door to let me in. Once I was inside he closed the door and went to the couch to shove a bunch of newspaper onto the floor. He sarcastically said, 'If I knew a princess was coming over I would have cleaned up better.'

"It hurt that Mr. Trujillo was being so rude toward me. I sat on the edge of the couch and didn't bother to take my coat off. I tried to be polite and thank him for letting me wait for Paul. He huffed and opened a can of beer that had been sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

"After guzzling it down he sat back in his chair and stared at me for a moment. He then stood up and walked toward me. 'What makes you think that you are better than me?'

"'I don't think I'm better than you, sir.'"

'_I don't think I'm better than you, sir.' _Mr. Trujillo mockingly repeated. 'You're not exciting enough for my Paul. He could find someone that looks better than you and could keep him entertained. You look like a goody two shoes to me.'

"I'd had enough. Paul's father had no right to talk to me like that. So I stood up and started to walk toward the front door. He tried to grab me and back me into the wall but I kneed him in the nuts and ran out the house."

I was relieved that her story wasn't worse. I felt satisfaction that she had told me everything but something about her actions toward me had me puzzled.

"Rachel, I don't understand something. When I pushed you away from the door why didn't you try and fight me and when you saw my eyes why didn't you scream or try and get away?"

"Something happened after you told me to sit down and answer your questions. I wanted to get away from you but my body locked up and next thing I knew I was sitting down. I tried to keep my mouth shut but I felt like I had to do what you told me to do."

Rachel took the news about the werewolves and imprinting well. I understood why she felt compelled to come back to La Push and she was happy about Paul imprinting on her. After my conversation with Rachel I called my mom to let her know that we were ready to go shopping. I was really looking forward to tonight.

_**Sundown the same day at Second Beach**_

_**Jacob POV**_

I had to smile at my pack. Embry, Paul, and Sam were nervous wrecks. You would think that they were getting married today as jittery as they all were. I guess I couldn't blame them though. They weren't in the same situation that I had been in. Bella had already accepted my imprint when we had our ceremony. Angela, Leah and Rachel would be making that choice tonight. I wasn't worried about Angela and Rachel, but I was very concerned about Leah. She left Bella's house yesterday very upset about the whole imprinting situation. She refused to talk to Sam and her parents had to force her to come to the ceremony.

I really hoped that Leah had changed her mind and accepted the imprint. If she refused, Sam would be devastated. The sun was starting to set and the bonfire had just been lit. Preparations done, we waited for the girls to arrive. About five minutes later I saw my Bella, Angela, Leah and Rachel walking toward us. They were beautiful. Once again, Bella had on her white dress that she wore to our ceremony and Rachel, Leah and Angela had on similar dresses.

Jared had on regular clothes because he wasn't part of this ceremony, but the rest of us were only wearing a pair of cut-off jeans.

Quil Sr., Harry and Sue Clearwater, Billy, and Bidziil were sitting around the bonfire. Charlie, Renee, the Webers, Nata and Mr. Trujillo were standing behind the girls. I was glad to hear that the Webers took the news about Angela so well. It helped a lot that Nata and Angela's mom worked together at Forks Hospital and Mrs. Weber never liked Dr. Cullen. She thought he was strange and was very uncomfortable around him. I hoped they would still feel the same way after the ceremony tonight.

After several minutes passed, Billy looked at me and said it was time. I took Bella's hand and walked in front of the bonfire facing everyone and told my pack members to come forward. Once they were standing in front of me I yelled out, "Tonight the imprints of Sam, Embry, and Paul will choose whether or not to accept the imprint."

I heard low murmuring behind me and some shuffling around. Once there was total silence, I continued. "Angela, Leah, and Rachel you have a choice. You don't have to accept the imprint. If you accept then the bond between you and your imprint will continue to grow. The direction of the relationship will depend on what you need at this time. When you are ready it will progress into love.

"If you choose to deny the imprint then the connection for you will be severed but the wolf that imprinted on you will not be able to imprint on anyone else. There will be a void in their spirit that will never be filled. They will leave you alone to lead your life because that is what will make you happy."

"Sam, Embry, and Paul will now go into the woods and when they return they will be in their wolf form. Angela, Leah, and Rachel, you need to stand in a line facing the forest. When I call your imprint's name, if you have chosen to accept the imprint you will turn your back toward the trees and wait for your wolf to come to you. Once I say turn around, you will face your wolf and make eye contact and the imprint will be complete.

"If you have chosen not to accept then when I call your imprint's name do not turn around. So when your wolf comes out of the forest he will know you have denied him and he will not come close enough to make eye contact.

"Listen to your heart; it will lead you in the right direction."

I looked at my pack and said, "Go." They disappeared into the woods. I let go of Bella's hand and told her to lead the girls to the trees. Bella walked toward the tree line and the girls followed.

I was nervous for Sam. It would be so humiliating if I called his name and Leah didn't turn around. She was very stubborn and I could see her refuse the imprint just to spite her parents. I decided that I would call him last.

"Paul Trujillo." Everyone turned toward Rachel to see what she would do. Rachel quickly turned her back to the trees. A massive grey wolf walked out of the forest. Several gasps were heard. No one had seen us in wolf form except for Billy, Quil Sr. and Harry. He walked and stood behind Rachel. I said, "Turn around." Rachel slowly turned and stumbled backward a little but once they made eye contact a yellow glow formed around them. Once the glow disappeared, Paul lay on his belly and Rachel sat beside him.

"Embry Call." Angela turned her back toward the trees. A huge but slim grey wolf with black spots walked out of the woods toward Angela. I said, "Turn around." Once they made eye contact, they experienced the same yellow glow.

I took a deep breath and said, "Sam Uley."

**Beta: Wolfskill**

**Hope you liked this chapter**


	28. Chapter 28 The Right Choice

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Leah POV**

_Afternoon before the ceremony_

I considered running away. I didn't want to deal with this imprint bull crap. Everyone who knew me knew that I didn't do well with being told what to do. I felt like Sam imprinting on me had taken away my choice to be who I wanted to be in life.

I expected my parents to back me up, but instead they were pleased. All they kept saying was that Sam was a _perfect_ match for me and he would make me very happy. They wouldn't listen to a word I said. So after a while I locked myself in my room and refused to talk anyone.

This whole werewolf situation was fucked up because my fifteen year old brother was going to burst into a wolf any day now. My parents weren't going to give him a heads up about it. I was so angry I was shaking. Why did they have a right to know about all this crap, but we didn't until we were thrust into the middle of it?

They took Seth to Brady's house because they knew the first chance I got I would have told him everything. I tried to stand up to my parents and tell them that I refused go to the ceremony, but my father told me if he had to drag me there naked he would. So if I knew what was best for me I would be waiting by the front door in the dress my mother bought me to wear when they were ready to go.

While I was brushing my hair, someone knocked at my door.

"Go away. I'll come out when it's time to go."

"Leah, it's me, Bella. Let me in, we need to talk."

"Bella, now is not a good time. Go away."

"Leah, please, I won't take long. I just want to see how you're doing."

I sighed loudly and slammed my brush down on the dresser before standing up and opening the door. I blocked the doorway so Bella couldn't get in.

"You've seen me, now go away."

Bella closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. I could tell that she was trying very hard to not lose her temper. That kind of pissed me off because what did she have to be mad about? _I_ was the one who was being thrown under the bus.

Bella kept her eyes closed. "Leah, I understand exactly how you feel. Trust me, I felt the same way when I realized what being an imprint would mean for me. It didn't matter how much I loved Jacob. It was a hard pill to swallow when I realized that all of the plans that I had for my life were suddenly changed forever.

"No one expects you to marry Sam tomorrow. All we want is for you to give him a chance. Sam didn't choose this life either. He had a job offer out of state that would have done wonders for his career, but now his life will be protecting La Push."

I rolled my eyes. "I couldn't care less about Sam and what he's lost. Until yesterday he was just a name that I heard every once in a while or a face that popped up at my house sometimes to talk to my dad."

"There is a lot about imprinting that you don't know. You do have a choice. You don't have to accept the imprint. That is what tonight's ceremony is about. You will publicly accept or deny the imprint."

I didn't know what to say. My parents made it sound like I didn't have a choice. They knew me so well. They kept that information from me on purpose. I wanted to know more, so I opened my door all of the way and stepped aside so Bella could come in.

"So if I deny the imprint, what happens? Will Sam imprint on someone else?"

"No, you are it for him. He won't imprint again."

"So…what, will he be able to date other people and eventually fall in love, but not imprint?"

"Nope. Leah, when I say you're it for him that is what I mean. If you deny the imprint your connection with him will be severed, but not his to you. He will always love you, but he will stay away from you because it's what you want. Your happiness means everything to him."

Wow, that was something to think about. I could be stubborn but I wasn't cruel. If I denied Sam as my imprint, I would have to live with the fact that because of me he would never know love, get married, or have a family.

"Bella, besides the fact that getting involved with Sam would change my life, I don't want to be with a man that does everything that I want. I need someone who has a mind of his own that can take care of me."

Bella smirked at me. "What? Do you think Sam is _weak_ because he would put you before everything? Think about this, Leah. Sam is a werewolf that kills vampires. Trust me when I say that he is not weak. Yes, as your imprint he wants you to be happy, but you will not be able to walk all over him. Sam is the Beta of the pack. There is no way Jacob would have given him that role if he was weak.

"You are strong willed, hot-tempered, smart, impulsive, and outgoing. You _are _perfect for Sam because he is serious, not quick to anger, thinks things through, and on the quiet side. You speak your mind and won't be intimidated by the craziness of the wolf pack.

"Whatever you decide tonight is permanent. You can't change your mind a year from now."

Bella stood up and squeezed my shoulder. "I'll see you at the ceremony, Leah."

I walked back to the mirror and continued to brush my hair. I started to smile with relief, but as I studied my reflection in the mirror I noticed that it didn't reflect in my eyes.

_At Second Beach _

I was irritated as I watched Rachel, Bella, and Angela oohh and aww about how excited they were for the ceremony. I had hoped that at least Rachel would've had the same reaction I did. She'd moved away from La Push to start a life somewhere else and now she was stuck back here.

From the moment we reached the bonfire, I could _feel _Sam watching me. I had to admit that it caused a pleasant tingling sensation to flow throughout my body, but I refused to look in his direction. I was glad that the pack wasn't allowed to talk to us before the ceremony. That would have been too much for me to deal with.

After several minutes passed, Jacob took Bella's hand and walked in front of the bonfire. He faced everyone and told the pack members to come forward. Once they were standing in front of Jacob he explained that the imprints would either accept or deny the imprint.

He told us that we had a choice. We didn't have to accept the imprint. If we accepted, then the bond between us and our imprint would continue to grow. The direction of the relationship will depend on what we needed at that moment in our lives. When we were ready it would progress into love.

I hadn't known that. I assumed that it would be instant love. If Sam and I could just be friends first, that would be okay.

If we denied the imprint then the connection for us would be severed, but the wolf that imprinted on us would not be able to imprint on anyone else. There would be a void in their spirit that would never be filled. They would leave us alone to lead our lives because that was what would make us happy.

Jacob instructed Sam, Embry, and Paul to go into the woods and turn into their wolf form. Jacob told us to stand and face the tree line. When he called our imprint's name, if we accepted the imprint we had to turn our back toward the trees and wait for our wolf to come to us. Once Jacob told us to turn around, we would face our wolf and make eye contact, making the imprint complete.

If we chose not to accept then when our imprint was called we shouldn't turn around. Our wolf would know we'd denied the imprint and he would stay away and not make eye contact. We were told to listen to our hearts, and it would lead us in the right direction.

I considered that. There was a part of me that wondered what it would be like to give Sam a chance. Bella and Jacob had been in love forever and they seemed so happy. Angela and Rachel also seemed genuinely happy. I knew a lot of my anger was misdirected. I wanted to mess up this ceremony to get back at my parents for not telling me about this life, but doing that would devastate Sam and ruin his life forever. Jacob caught my attention when I heard him say, "Go."

Sam, Embry, and Paul ran into the woods. Jacob let go of Bella's hand and told her to lead us to the trees. Bella walked toward the tree line and we followed. I started to feel butterflies in my stomach. Up until this moment I thought I knew what I was going to do, but now I wasn't so sure.

"Paul Trujillo." I turned toward Rachel to see what she would do. Rachel quickly turned her back to the trees. I felt my legs going weak and my heart rate accelerate as I saw a massive grey wolf walk out of the forest. I heard several people gasp behind me. He walked and stood behind Rachel. Jacob said, "Turn around." Rachel slowly turned and stumbled backward a little but once they made eye contact, a yellow glow formed around them. Once the glow disappeared, Paul lay on his belly and Rachel sat beside him. Rachel looked at home and happy.

"Embry Call." Angela also turned her back toward the trees. A huge but slim grey wolf with black spots walked out of the woods toward Angela. Jacob said, "Turn around." Once they made eye contact, they experienced the same yellow glow.

Jacob took a quick worried glance at me and then said, "Sam Uley." There was a war going on between my mind and my heart. My mind was telling me to keep facing forward and deny the imprint so I could continue with my life the way it was. My heart was telling me to turn around and take a chance. I held Sam's heart in my hands, and I should treat it like a gift instead of something to be thrown away.

Time was slowly ticking and I hadn't moved. As I continued to stand still, I saw him come through the woods and my heart shattered into a million pieces. As a wolf Sam was black, very muscular and massive. His appearance should have been intimidating, but that was impossible because he had his head hung down low and he looked defeated. My heart was telling me that this was the image that I would always have of Sam every time I ran across him on the street. He would look like this, and it would be my fault.

I quickly turned around; I wouldn't be the cause of my wolf's pain. _My wolf, _did I just say that?

"Turn around."

**I hope everyone liked Leah's POV and that she decided to give Sam a chance. Next chapter will reveal where Bella's powers come from, and there will be some unexpected action. There will be a Bella/Jacob moment. **

**I haven't forgotten about the Cullens, I just haven't been lead to go back to them yet. Believe it or not there is an ending to this story in sight. As of right now I know exactly what is going to happen. I can't give an answer as to how many more chapters there will be but I can guarantee that it won't be in the sixties.**

**Thanks for the reviews; they really mean a lot to me.**


	29. Chapter 29 The Slayer

**Sam POV**

_The day of the imprint ceremony_

I remember almost having to drag Paul and Jared to Harry's by their ears. Neither of them wanted to be the one to imprint on Leah. Leah was one of the prettiest girls in La Push but no one went near her because she was also known as the bitch of La Push.

I never thought I was exempt from imprinting but I wasn't looking for it.

I wasn't prepared for the feelings that I experienced when Leah opened the front door. I'd seen her around La Push my whole life and never gave her a second glance. I was several years older than her, and I was in love with Emily.

Our eyes locked when she opened the door. Instantly, Leah became my sole reason for being on this earth. We couldn't stop staring at each other but eventually she broke the trance by sarcastically saying, "Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something hanging out my nose or something?"

I remembered shaking my head to gather my thoughts and replied, "Um, I'm sorry for staring. You're just so beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off you."

My blunt answer had surprised her. She didn't have an immediate comeback and I could see a hint of flattery flash in her expression. Paul and Jared broke the mood though when they started snickering. She glared at them and said, "Next time you come over here to visit my dad, do the rest of us a favor and put a shirt on. Not every girl in La Push wants to gawk at your bodies. Have some respect for yourselves."

That shut Jared and Paul up and it caused me to laugh. Having Leah in my life would guarantee that I'd never have a dull moment. The day that Bella told Leah and Angela about the pack and imprinting I was close by hiding in the woods. I wanted to be there for her if she needed me.

She took the news very hard. The thought of being connected to me for life was very unsettling for her. Leah felt that being with me would take away her independence and ruin the life that she had planned out for herself.

I wanted to go to her so badly and comfort her and assure her that I would be whatever she needed me to be for her. But Jacob had forbidden me from seeing her. He told me that I would make matters worse if I tried to contact her. Being so close to her and feeling her pain but not going to her caused my chest to hurt so badly that I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

All the other imprints seemed to have a smooth transition and seemed to be accepting it, but Leah was freaked out and everyone suspected that she would refuse me at the imprint ceremony. I had to admit that I was worried about that too.

Jacob warned us about what would happen to us if our imprint decided to refuse the imprint. He said that if we walked out of the woods and our imprints didn't turn their backs to us then we had to immediately stop, drop our heads and not make eye contact. She would then be given the opportunity to leave the ceremony.

The soul tie that was formed when the imprint was initiated would be severed for her. Our imprint wouldn't feel any physical or emotional pain, but we would. It would feel like our flesh was being turned inside out and our hearts would almost come to a complete stop for several minutes. It would feel like we were dying.

Once the imprint was completely severed our bodies would return back to normal but emotionally we would never be the same again. We'd be destined to live a lonely existence because our hearts would never allow us to love another.

I feared this would be my fate and knew that the rest of the pack feared the same thing for me.

All of these thoughts continued to saturate my mind as I stood in the woods in my wolf form and waited for Jacob to call my name. What was I going to do if Leah didn't accept the imprint? Could I live without her? How could I watch her fall in love with someone else, have their children, and be happy with them?

Eventually, I heard Jacob call my name and I used my pack brother's thoughts to see what Leah was doing. My heart dropped when I saw that she hadn't turned around. She was going to refuse me. She wasn't going to give me a chance to try to love her. I didn't want to go out there. I wanted to run the other way and hurl myself off the cliff and smash my body into a million pieces on the rocks below.

"_Dude, don't think like that! Your life won't be over if Leah doesn't accept the imprint. We need you and will be there to help you through this."_

"_Embry, you don't understand. Angela accepted you. You get your happy ending."_

"_Man, it hasn't always been that way for me. You know my story. I'm the bastard child of La Push. I'm not welcome in more than half the homes here because they think my mother is a whore. I have no idea who my father is, and I have to listen to my mother cry herself to sleep at least a couple times out of the week because of how horribly people still treat her."_

"_You're right. I won't feel sorry for myself. If Leah doesn't want me then I won't make it hard on her by killing myself."_

Slowly, I walked out of the woods and held my head down. With each step I took, my breathing became more labored as I prepared myself for the eternal pain that I would endure.

I made it halfway to her before collapsing to the ground. At the same time, I faintly heard Jacob say, "Turn around."

I was too far gone in my thoughts of losing the love of my life to concentrate on what Jacob was saying.

I felt someone rub the top of my head. I fought to get my mind to focus and that's when I realized that it was Leah and she was pleading with me to look at her. I slowly raised my massive head and all the hurt and pain that I'd just previously felt vanished and was replaced with the soft warm glow of Leah's beautiful eyes.

**Bella POV**

The tension instantly lifted when Leah turned around and accepted the imprint. I was proud of her. She stepped out on faith and trusted in something that she did not understand.

After Sam and Leah finally made eye contact, the rest of the ceremony continued. The wolves went back into the woods and phased back to human. Once they were reunited with their imprints, they each got the tribal tattoo similar to the one that Jacob and I got when we were united as imprints.

It turned into a very festive evening and everyone was having a lot of fun. Once it started to get dark, we all sat around the fire while Billy talked of the legends. Once he was done, everyone began to socialize and eat.

I was sitting next to Jacob. Across from us, Paul sat with Rachel with his arm around her shoulders. He was whispering something in her ear that caused her to laugh. Mr. Trujillo sat on the opposite side of Paul. I recalled that he hadn't done much socializing throughout the evening. I noticed that no one attempted to approach him and slowly shook my head and wondered, "_How could someone live such an angry life all of the time?"_

Paul's father sat staring at Billy, and if looks could kill Billy would have been dead. I continued to study this man. He looked menacing but not enough to give a person warning to how evil and dark his heart actually was.

Without warning, he shifted his gaze in my direction and caught me staring at him. I was embarrassed getting caught and blushed. The way he leered back at me caused me to feel dirty and exposed. If Jacob or my father had caught him looking at me like that, they would have killed him.

I quickly got up and walked toward the refreshment table. The ceremony had gone so well, I didn't want Mr. Trujillo to ruin the night for everybody. I jumped when I felt someone's hot breath next to my ear as they whispered, "I heard about your run-in with the vampire. My, my, my… aren't you a feisty one. I saw you staring at me just now; if you ever get tired of your _alpha_ and want to experience a real man, come give me a visit."

Immediate and intense anger washed over me. I wanted this man dead. Quick flashes of what he did to Nata and Rachel raced through my mind. I seriously doubted that they were his only victims. How stupid was this man? Jacob was sitting less then a couple feet away from me and he had the audacity to speak to me like this?

It felt like something clicked in my mind and suddenly I felt powerful and fearless. I slowly turned around and looked directly into Mr. Trujillo eyes and yelled, "KAY-h-kuh!" (_Get away from me!)_

He had enough common sense to back up when he noticed the color of my eyes had changed from dark brown to flaming yellow. Everyone was staring at us. Within seconds, Jacob had pushed me behind him and he growled at Paul's father.

Sam stood to the right of Jacob and Embry was on his left. Paul stood in between Jacob and his father with a confused angry expression on his face. He poked his father in the chest and yelled, "What did you do!"

I walked around Jacob and pointed toward Mr. Trujillo and repeated, "KAY-h-kuh!" He continued to back away as I continued to move forward.

"HAH-ch - buh-SAY!" (You're evil)

Jacob wrapped his arm around my waist and yanked me backward, but as we made physical contact with each other our thoughts connected and instantly Jacob knew everything. He knew about Nata, Rachel, and what just happened with me. He once again shoved me behind him and he leapt forward, but before he could reach Mr. Trujillo, Paul stepped in front of Jake.

Paul yelled, "What are you about to do, man? I know my father can be a jerk, but you and Bella are losing it. Just let me take him home!"

Jacob stared at Paul for a quick second before saying, "Charlie, Renee, Sue, Harry, Quil Sr., Bella, and Billy, I need you to stay while everyone else leaves now!"

There was no hesitation. This was a direct Alpha order that the werewolves could not refuse. I could see the anger in Paul's eyes. He didn't like being left out of what was going on with his father, but he had no control over his limbs as he and Rachel began to walk away.

Once the others had left, Jacob began to slowly stalk around Paul's father, sizing him up. There was nothing but hate and fury in Jacob's yellow eyes. He was barely keeping the wolf at bay.

My father spoke up, "Jacob, what's going on? What did Chris do?"

Jacob didn't answer my father. Instead he addressed Mr. Trujillo.

"Nata was a child! How could you do that to her? All this time she has been treated like a whore when you forced yourself on her! Because of you, my sister left her family and had to fend for herself. You perverted bastard! "

After his initial shock, Mr. Trujillo regained his composure. Instead of looking intimidated and frightened like he should have, he stood up straighter and spat on the ground by Jake's feet. He then smiled. "I hope that answers your question. I don't give a damn about Nata or your bitch sister. I suggest you watch your _imprint's _backbecause she is a fine piece of a..."

He never got to finish that sentence because Charlie put a bullet through his head. There was no reaction from anyone at first. He was a rapist and he had no remorse. He openly admitted that if he got the opportunity I would suffer the same fate as Rachel and Nata. I was right when I said he was stupid he must have wanted to die.

It's sad when a person leaves this life and no one gives a damn. Chris Trujillo's life ended just as Paul's supernatural life began.

There was no burial ceremony. His body was cremated and buried in Forks Cemetery. Due to the dishonor he brought to his tribe, his existence was erased from Quileute records and his name was not talked about.

After Paul's father was shot by my dad, the rez police were called. Since Billy was the chief, his word was law. It didn't take long for the investigation to conclude that Chris Trujillo confessed to the rape of Nata Call, the attempted rape of Rachel Black, and threats of physical harm to Isabella Swan.

It was determined that Charlie Swan was justified in believing that his daughter was in immediate danger and acted in self-defense. This man had made a lot of enemies over the years and had been in and out of jail since Paul was a child.

Bitterness and unforgiveness for Paul's mother leaving them had choked the life out of Chris Trujillo. He was living on borrowed time. All of his hidden demons had come to the surface and it was time to pay the cost. If my father hadn't killed him, then I'm sure Embry or Paul would have.

I wished that Chris's death could have brought a better ending for Nata but all she had lost in her life because of Mr. Trujillo could not be given back to her.

She did gain another son. Paul and Embry have embraced that they are more than just pack brothers. Paul has made a real effort to get to know Nata better and spend some quality time with her.

**Jacob POV**

It was like slow motion watching the bullet go through the front of Chris Trujillo's head as he fell backward to the ground. Charlie was a good shot. His death was immediate. So when Sue walked toward him to take his pulse, I told her not to bother because I knew he was dead.

We were created to protect the lives of La Push and Forks. I was equipped to kill vampires, but tonight I was very close to taking the life of a human. My heart went out to Paul. That evil man was his father. Even though he had done a lot of terrible things to Paul over the years, Paul still loved and cared for him. But that man had crossed lines even Paul wouldn't forgive.

He harmed Paul's imprint, raped his brother's mother, and threatened his Alpha's imprint. I dreaded allowing Paul access to my thoughts but it was the best way for him to find out. He had to see the truth for himself to understand why Charlie was allowed to get away with what he'd done.

The sun was just breaking over the horizon when I finally made it home the next morning. I was beyond exhausted. I stumbled into the house and collapsed on my bed.

_**Two Weeks Later…**_

**Charlie POV**

The council members were concerned about Bella. Her ability to control the imprints was expected; her ability to see Jacob through his thoughts was surprising but not alarming, Bella's ability to pull away from Chase and fight him off was disturbing and we didn't understand it, but the yellow eyes and ability to talk in Quileute was very unsettling.

Billy and Harry checked all of their legends and there was nothing about an Alpha's imprint having these abilities. She was a human that was able to ward off vampires and that was impossible.

Billy asked Renee and me were there any bedtime stories that our grandparents had told us that spoke of monsters?

I recalled a story that my grandmother used to tell me and my cousins. It was about a girl that stopped the Demons of the Night. She protected children when they were sleeping. When a Demon of the Night would try to take children from their beds she would be there to rescue them by taking the demon's power and decapitating it. The girl was called "The Slayer".

It was just a story that my grandmother liked to tell because she knew we liked to hear gory stuff like that.

Billy believed that maybe that story was really a legend that at some point in my family tree really did happen. The council did their research and indeed did find a Quileute legend that fit like a glove with the Swan bedtime story. They had to search _way_ back to find this story.

_During the 1800's Forks was a new white settlement. The Quileute kept their distance and the new settlers left the Quileute alone._

_At the time, there had been no vampire activity for over 40 years, so the Quileute males had stopped phasing. One day, there was an uproar on First Beach. Standing next to the shoreline was a vampire and he was holding a young white 12-year-old girl that hung limp in his arms. _

_His eyes weren't the blood red that the Quileute were accustomed to seeing but instead they were a bright chestnut color. He yelled out that he meant their tribe no harm. The young girl's family had been attacked by a nomad vampire and they had all been slaughtered except for the child. _

_The cold one claimed that he managed to kill the other vampire but not before the young girl was bitten. He sucked all of the venom out of her. She would remain human but from that moment on if any vampire came in contact with her and posed a threat to her or her family she would gain the ability to fight them off. The effects of the venom would continue for generations to come._

_The scent of her blood would become a beacon to cold ones from around the world. It would draw them in, but once they attempted to kill her or someone she loved she would be able to drain them of their powers and kill them._

_The vampire explained that her family had been on their way to Forks to live with some relatives. He gently laid the child down on the sand and disappeared into the ocean._

_The young girl stayed on the reservation for three days to make sure she would not change. She was then taken to her relatives in Forks. _

So my daughter Isabella Swan was a Slayer. This was the reason why Jacob Black imprinted on her. She had the ability to be just as dangerous to a bloodsucker as a werewolf. I had to admit I was a little proud.

**Bella POV**

It was nighttime and I had just abruptly woken up and was thirsty so I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to get some water. I placed the glass in the sink once I was done. I looked out the window to see the stars in the sky.

Suddenly, I felt two warm arms wrap around my waist and a very warm body press against me. I smiled as I moaned and tilted my head back. I felt so secure and comfortable wrapped in so much warmth. This was one of those moments that I never wanted to end.

I felt warm lips kiss my neck and sparks of electricity shot throughout my body. I felt my legs get weak. I was turned around and lifted onto the counter top. My lips were greedily assaulted and warm hands caressed and explored every inch of my body.

My body was on fire and I never wanted this to end. Once again he was lining my neck with kisses. I found it hard to think and breathe. I murmured, "I love you so much; you are my forever."

The kisses stopped, and the warmth disappeared. I opened my eyes and screamed. Chase grabbed me by my shoulders and said, "I've been waiting for you to say that." He then bit me…

_A couple of hours later_

I sat in Nata's house and attempted to drink a glass of water but my hands were shaking so badly that all I succeeded in doing was splashing water on myself.

I was thankful that Jacob had patrol last night and wasn't home when I woke up freaking out. This dream had felt so real that I immediately ran to the bathroom to make sure that I didn't have bite marks on my neck.

I called Nata and told her I had another dream. She asked me to come over so we could talk about it. According to her the meaning of this dream was attraction. The enemy was going to try and appeal to my senses.

When I said in my dream, "You are my forever" to Chase and gave in to him without a fight, I surrendered my power.

I shuddered when I realized what my purpose in this vampire/werewolf war was going to be.

**Thanks again for all of the reviews, story alerts, and favorites. I'm almost at 600 reviews! That's more than I ever imagined. Thank you DreaC and Wolfskill for your Beta help.**

**The Cullens are around the corner somewhere and I've finally taken down my first story and reposted it. This time around it should be a whole lot better. It's also being beta'd so please if you have a chance hook a sista up and give it a look through and tell me what you think. It's called On Both Sides of the Line. It's also a imprint story but I don't go so outside of the box with it. **

**Stories I recommend this time around are The Jacob and Bella Drabbles by CarrieICL (Whiskers is adorable), Once Upon A Full Moon by Naranwien (One of the best Jacob/Bella stories I've read), Love How It Burns by Pooks 79(A little steamy and dark but very addictive) and My Obsession by Pooks 79. **


	30. Chapter 30 The Love of a Mother Pt One

_Three months later…_

**Jacob POV**

So much has happened in our lives since Paul's father was killed by Charlie and Bella found out that she was a Slayer.

Quil, Seth, Brady and Collin phased.

Jared imprinted on a girl named Kim that he went to high school with. Back then Kim had a _severe_ crush on Jared. She used to leave notes in his locker about how much she liked him. Every class they had together she spent most of her time staring at him. It was so bad that he used to commando dive into the bushes to avoid her finding him if he happened to see her coming in his direction.

During their senior year, Kim's family moved to another reservation. Paul found out that Kim had moved back and she was working at the rez grocery store. We decided to play a joke on Jared and send him to the store to get some snacks for us to have a guys' night.

Quil volunteered to go with him to make sure that Jared would end up face-to-face with Kim. It wasn't until Jared and Quil were at the check out counter that he realized Kim was back in town. She, of course, was overjoyed to see Jared again. He attempted to look at everything but her as he shuddered while trying to make up an excuse to hurry up and hightail it out of the store.

Quil pretended to suddenly need to go to the bathroom and rushed off. He yelled over his shoulder for Jared to get the change. As Jared held his hand out to accept the money, he looked up and made eye contact with Kim. The expression of panic on Jared's face morphed into overwhelming love and devotion as he imprinted on her.

Jared freaked her out the way he showed up at her job every day and followed her around like a lovesick puppy. She missed almost a whole week of work just to avoid seeing him. It wasn't until Bella talked to Kim and explained the legends that she gave Jared a chance.

Quil imprinted on Emily's cousin Claire. Emily wasn't too enthusiastic about Quil and Claire being a couple, because he was a known flirt and she didn't want him hurting her cousin. Imprinting on Claire changed Quil for the better. He no longer viewed girls as sex objects, but instead he was respectful and very caring. Claire was young (fifteen) but very mature for her age.

Her parents were very freaked out when they were told the Quileute legends were true. It took a lot of convincing from the council that their daughter would be safe and Quil would spend the rest of his life making Claire happy.

Quil, Embry, and I graduated last week, and today was Bella and Angela's graduation. We were having a celebration bonfire at First Beach and everyone was having a great time. I was standing a distance away from everyone else, hyperventilating. Embry and Quil were standing in front of me trying to calm me down.

Quil slapped me on the shoulder and said, "Dude, I don't understand why you're freaking out like this. She loves you. It's not like she's going to tell you no."

"Yeah, man. Quil and I saw it in your thoughts. She's the one who said that she wanted you to _ask_ her to marry you."

I bent down and placed my hands on my thighs. I continued to attempt to take deep breaths.

"You…don't…understand…I…have…nothing…to…offer…her."

Quil gave an irritated sigh. "All Bella has ever wanted is you, stupid. You're our big, bad Alpha, and you hunt and kill vampires. You're going out like a punk because you're scared you can't provide for her?"

Quil and Embry had a point. I was freaked out over nothing. This was something that we both wanted and I was ready to commit myself to my Bella completely.

I fought to get control over my breathing and stood up. I looked at my two best friends and said, "All right, I'm ready to do this."

Everyone except Bella knew that I planned on asking her to marry me tonight.

_Flashback_

_Two weeks ago…_

_Charlie had come over to watch the game with my dad. They were sitting in the living room drinking beers and talking. I stood in the doorway and cleared my throat._

_"Um Dad, Charlie, I have something important to talk to you about."_

_They both looked at me with serious expressions on their faces._

_"What is it, son?"_

_"Well…I graduate next week and Bells will graduate the week after so…ahh."_

_The temperature in the room had gone up a thousand degrees in mere seconds. My palms were sweaty and I was shaking from fear that Charlie wouldn't give his blessing for me to marry his daughter. _

_I started pacing back and forth with my hands in my pockets. _

_I stopped pacing and stood in front of Charlie and sat on the edge of the couch next to him. "Charlie, I love your daughter and I can promise that I will spend the rest of my life being the best husband for her that I can possibly be. There is so much in her life that you had no control over but it would be very important to me to know that I have your blessing to ask your daughter to marry me."_

_Charlie had his cop face on and I wasn't able to figure out what he was thinking. It seemed like hours before Charlie finally gave a response._

_"Well, Jacob, marriage is a huge responsibility. Once you marry Bella you won't just be responsible for yourself but for her also. You are sixteen. How exactly do you expect to take care of a wife?"_

_I rubbed the back of my neck. I guess I could look at it as a good thing that he didn't flat out say no. He was asking questions. That meant he was entertaining the idea, right? _

_"Once I graduate, Mr. Miller told me I could come and work for him at his auto repair shop on a full-time basis. Plus, I'm going to start giving Sue Clearwater a couple wood carvings a month. She offered to take them to the flea market to sell along with the quilts that she makes. There's always a demand for them because tourists like to buy the wolves for souvenirs."_

_Charlie crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. He raised his left eyebrow and said, "Won't having a full-time job interfere with your **wolf duties**. How will you explain to your boss when you suddenly have leave or you don't show up because you're off somewhere killing a vampire?"_

_"Before Mr. Miller hired me, I told him that due to me being the son of the chief I had a lot tribal responsibilities and sometimes I'm called away unexpectedly. He was very understanding. All of the jobs he will have for me will be cars that won't need repairs right away. So if I have to miss a day or two or leave suddenly it shouldn't cause any problems."_

_"Where will you guys live?"_

_"Here for now. Rachel is living with Paul so her old room is vacant. I already asked Billy if it would be okay for us to move into that room since it's bigger than mine. Once I save enough money we will move into our own place."_

_Charlie stood up and I followed suit. He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. _

_"Son, I would be proud to have you as a son-in-law. You have my permission to marry my daughter."_

_End of Flashback_

Quil, Embry and I made it back to the bonfire. Bella was with the girls talking and having a good time. I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the DJ booth. Seth was in charge of the music so I signaled for him to turn the music off. Everyone knew what I was about to do, so there was complete silence.

I turned and faced my precious angel and smiled. She looked so beautiful tonight. Her hair was a flowing river of soft mahogany curls that stopped just past her shoulder blades. She had on makeup that brought out the deep brown of her eyes and the soft puffiness of her lips. She was wearing a black low-cut blouse that showed a small amount of cleavage and some nice, _tight _jeans that left nothing to the imagination.

I grabbed her hands and allowed myself to drown as I looked into her eyes.

"Bells, I love you so much. I truly believe that even without the imprint we would have still fallen in love. You are the reason my heart beats every day. There is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you."

While continuing to gaze into Bella's eyes, I slowly lowered myself onto one knee.

"You are my imprint, my love, and my life. Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?"

Her heart rate sped up. She shook slightly and tears ran down her face. Bella slowly smiled and threw herself at me and said, "Yes, yes, yes. I will marry you!"

**Bella POV**

Everyone started applauding and yelling once they heard me accept Jacob's proposal. This was the best night of my life. It meant so much to me that Jacob did this. He knew how much it meant to me to have a choice in something that involved our life together. I needed to be able to say yes to something instead of having decisions made for me.

After about an hour of people congratulating us, Billy called me to the front and I noticed that Jacob wasn't around. Suddenly, it got quiet. The pack was standing in a semicircle with half on one side of me and half on the other side. Angela, Leah, Rachel, Claire, and Kim were standing on the right side of Billy and Renee and Charlie were standing on the left side of him. All of the council members were standing behind the pack.

In a loud voice Billy said, "Several months ago, Alpha Jacob Ephraim Black phased for the first time and went through the first part of the imprint ceremony with Isabella Marie Swan. It is now time to go forth with the second part of the ceremony."

I felt like I'd just been transported into another world. It was hard for me to think. I felt like I was about to faint. I vaguely felt my arm being squeezed and Embry whispered in my ear, "Breathe, Bella".

In all honesty, with everything that had been going on I'd forgotten that once we graduated we were supposed to proceed with the second part of the imprint ceremony. This was not what I had in mind when I said yes to Jacob's proposal.

I forced myself to listen to what Billy was saying.

"Isabella, the time has come to be united with your mate. After tonight it will go on record that you and Jacob are husband and wife. I would also like to assure you that your concerns about our tribal marriage ceremony have been taken into consideration. At your discretion a date will be set for a traditional American wedding to take place."

I really hate surprises and this was a big one. If I didn't go along with this then I would look like a total monster and it would break Jacob's heart. I felt like once again my choice had been taken away from me. My attention was brought back to Billy when I heard him say, "Will the mother and father of Isabella Swan please step forward."

Renee and Charlie were holding hands as they stepped forward and walked toward me. Once they reached me, they turned around and faced Billy.

"You may have five minutes with Isabella before she is given to her wolf."

My parents turned around and faced me. The thoughts in my mind were crashing around in my brain a thousand miles a minute. I felt my mouth opening and closing but I couldn't get anything to come out.

Renee reached toward me and placed a hand on each of my cheeks. I hoarsely whispered, "Mmmom."

My mother smiled and said, "Shhhh…everything will be fine. Bella, stop thinking so much and listen to what your heart is telling you. Stop thinking that you weren't given a choice. When you were twelve-years-old you made your choice to make Jacob your life. No one forced you. You were innocent enough back then to let your heart lead you. Do that now. Do you honestly think your dad and me would have allowed this to take place if we weren't confident that this was what you wanted?"

Once again, my mother was right. I did make a choice six years ago that Jacob and I would be together forever. I nodded my head and said, "Okay, mom and dad. I'm ready."

They both kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. As they stood beside me, Billy said, "Charlie Swan do you give Isabella Marie Swan to the wolf of Jacob Black?"

"Yes, I do."

Charlie hugged me once more and went back to stand next to Renee.

Billy looked toward the tree line and said, "Jacob Ephraim Black,come forward."

A giant sized russet-colored wolf emerged from the tree line and made his way to me. He lowered himself onto his stomach so that we could be face to face. As I gazed into Jacob's eyes, I felt our bond get stronger. In mere seconds my love and desire for him amplified a thousandfold. I smiled at my wolf and said, "I'm so glad that you are all mine."

**I wanted to give everyone one last Jacob/Bella moment before all heck broke loose. I've decided to break this story into two parts. This chapter will conclude part one which is called "The Alpha". Chapter 33 will start part two which will be called "The War". **

**Chase will be back next chapter and the twists and turns will continue. Thank you DreaC for helping with this chapter. _ Wolfskills corrections were added Dec 30,2010. Both of you are amazing!  
_**

**Thanks for your reviews, story alerts. I passed the 600 review mark!**

**Oh, almost forgot. My story has been accepted on Twilighted! I was rejected the first time but so far I have four chapters submitted. You can go there if you want to see pictures and banners that I may post. My pen name is dorme99 **


	31. Chapter 31 The Love of a Mother Pt Two

_The day after Chase's rebirth_

**Jane POV**

"The remaining Cullens plan on leaving tomorrow and they intend on taking Chase with them. I need you, Jane, to make sure that he decides that he would rather stay here.

"You know the situation between Chase and the human in Washington. Remind him of his desire for her. Also throw it in his face about how much support his family didn't offer when he was getting his head ripped off."

I nodded and said, "I will go immediately and do as you wish."

Due to my unquestionable loyalty to Aro, I was one of his most trusted and used members of the Volturi Guard. They used me to perform tasks that Aro, Marcus and Caius didn't want to get involved in.

So when Aro asked me to help Mia feel welcome when she first arrived in Volterra and considered joining the guard, I complied without hesitation. Over time I actually began to enjoy her company. She didn't fear me and was always honest no matter how I may react toward her.

Our friendship was disturbing to most of the members of the Volturi because it was out of character for me to form that type of bond with someone besides Aro and my brother.

It brought me great enjoyment when Mia killed Carlisle and Esme. I never could stand that coven and their choice to attempt to blend in with humans. Secretly I'd harbored a fascination with Chase though. He wasn't like the rest of the Cullens. He didn't really share the same values that they did. It was pretend for him but he spent a lot of his time using his powers to manipulate others into thinking that he was a good, obedient vampire. I wished that he could have been a full bred vampire. We would have made a good match.

My fascination with Chase was the reason why I was on my way to do as Mia had asked and help him change his mind.

**Chase POV**

I stood in the drafty hallway of the Volturi's castle, looking out the window as I fought the continuous tremors that held my body hostage. So many different emotions and thoughts tore my mind in different directions; My never ending lust for Isabella, pure hate and need to kill Jacob Black, condemnation for the death of Esme and Carlisle, my need to do what was right in the eyes of my family by attempting to suppress the evil that was within me and filtering out the small amount of good that was locked away in the dark recesses of my heart.

The rest of my family wouldn't admit it but I knew they wished Carlisle would have left me dead. I wished that he would have just left me a pile of ash. Esme didn't deserve to watch her husband betray the life that they had built together and have it all washed away because I had no impulse control.

My life long struggle with good versus evil had finally come to a head and so many others had suffered because of it. My life was in shambles right now. I suffered great pain because the vampire part of me needed my May Traverse. As a self induced punishment for all of the turmoil I'd caused, I'd decided the least I could do was deny myself the pleasure of Isabella's blood and body. I would endure the continuous fire that scorched my throat that no amount of animal blood would quench.

I felt someone approach and they stopped behind me. Without turning around I said, "Go away. I do not wish to talk."

Whoever stood behind me chose to ignore my request but instead said," You disgust me."

Irritation quickly set in once I realized it was Jane. I was almost tempted to provoke her with a sarcastic remark. I had been warned in the past that it would be in my best interest not to get on Jane's bad side because the amount of pain she could inflict on me could quite possibly cause my heart to stop. I wasn't a cat; I didn't have nine lives. If I died this time, that would be it for me.

I turned around and folded my arms across my chest as I leaned against the wall and waited for Jane to elaborate.

"You had so much potential. Aro couldn't wait for you to come to your senses and decide to leave the Cullens and join us."

"What's changed?"

"You want to be safe. I don't think that you really care about your family's feelings. You don't want to be good. Your whole life you've been trying to fight against something that finally beat you."

I didn't want to hear this. What she said had too much truth to it. I guessed she could see the discomfort in my eyes because she moved closer to me and leered, "You are scared to face Jacob Black again because you know the outcome would be the same."

"Is this a one-sided conversation or am I allowed to reply without you turning me into a match stick."

"See, that's what I mean. The real Chase would speak first and deal with the consequences later. What happened to you was not your fault. Your family stood by and let Jacob Black destroy you."

I became enraged. I didn't care who this vampire was. I wasn't going to let her talk badly about my family.

"No, I got myself killed. I put up my shield. There was no way for my family to help me."

"You were right to put up your shield. All the Cullens would have done was attempt to stop you. According to the treaty between the Cullens and the wolves, Jacob Black could have killed you. You know that your family would have allowed it. They would not have fought for you.

"They did not avenge your death. There were five vampires and two young wolves. Your family could have killed those dogs and destroyed La Push but instead they left."

There was nothing I could say. I walked away from Jane and tried to suppress the evil monster that was crying within me for justice. She wasn't done with me and continued to taunt me.

"Carlisle realized his mistake a little too late but in the end he did what he had to do to bring you back. You could be a force to be reckoned with. If you want Isabella Swan then kill her mate and _take her_."

Jane stared at me with her cold, dead eyes and as she began to slightly smile she said, "I'll give you something to think about. If you do decide to go to La Push, you will have the Volturi to back you up."

I made my way back to Edward's chamber. I needed to know if what Jane had said to me was true. I looked at Alice, Jasper and Edward and asked, "If I wouldn't have put up my shield while fighting Jacob Black would you have helped me destroy him or would you have stopped me?"

Alice and Jasper both looked at my dad and waited for him to reply. "We would have stopped you. We had the treaty to think about. Going against that would have started a war."

I shook my head. "No, they were outnumbered. We would have slaughtered them. If Jacob Black would have demanded my death would you have allowed it?"

My father quickly walked to me and placed his hands on my shoulders and said, "Of course not. We love you, Chase. We would have protected you no matter what."

I went into a rage and slapped my father's hands off of me and said, "It's my right to have Isabella and that mutt has to die! If you don't want to lose me as a son then you will help me get what I want."

"No, Chase, we won't go back there. We need to just move on. You are better than that. You are not a monster. Trust me, son that is not a road that you want to go down."

"Yes, actually I do want to go down that road. I want to go to La Push and kill the bastard that killed me and everyone that is connected to him, and I. want. Isabella. Swan."

I then turned to Alice and Jasper and said, "If you choose not help me then from this moment on you will be considered my enemy and if I ever see you again I will kill you."

**Alice POV**

_The next day_

As painful as this choice was Jasper and I had to walk away from Edward and Chase. We could not be a part of the slaughter of innocent humans for revenge and lust. After Chase declared his decision to go after his May Traverse and kill her mate we called Emmett and Rosalie and they also declared that they wanted no part of what Chase was planning to do.

We were now standing before Aro, Marcus and Caius to inform them of our plans. As I held Jasper's hand I said, "Jasper and I plan on meeting up with Rosalie and Emmett in New York where we plan to stay."

Aro shifted in his seat slightly and said," From this moment on your coven's actions will be watched. Do not attempt to warn the shape-shifters that Chase is coming for Isabella and plans to kill her mate."

We turned away from Aro and proceed to walk out the door. Suddenly, I was struck with a vision of the future that was so grotesque and heinous that I almost collapsed to the floor. I quickly spun and fell to my knees and looked into the eyes of Aro and cried out, "Please, you…"

Caius abruptly stood and interrupted me, "Remember our warning. Do not interfere. We are offering you and your mate a chance that isn't usually given. You know too much and it is obvious that you are not on our side. But yet we are allowing you to leave here not in pieces."

Jasper yanked my hand. "We need to leave now. There's nothing else we can do. Chase and Edward have made their choice and we have made ours."

As Jasper and I moved further and further away from Volterra I continued to feel despair knowing that the family I had grown to love was lost to me forever.

**Edward POV**

I made a promise that I would never leave Chase again. The argument that Mia and I had when I first arrived kept replaying in my mind over and over again. I thought about all of the wrong choices that I had made during my vampire life. Just this once I wanted to make the right choice. I didn't agree that going back to La Push was the right choice for Chase. Isabella Swan was mated to a shape-shifter. It puzzled me as to why fate would pick a mate for Chase that was already claimed by his enemy.

It made me wonder if maybe Carlisle was wrong and what Chase felt for Isabella was not May Traverse but simply the combination of bloodlust and the human side of him wanting what he couldn't have.

_Three Months Later_

**What is a slayer?**

A slayer is created when a human is bitten by an immortal but the transformation is stopped by the venom getting sucked out of the human's body. The traces of venom that are left in the blood stream cause the human to have the ability to protect themselves against vampire attack. There must be a presence of danger for the power to activate.

How does the slayer kill? There isn't a documented case because the only vampires to witness a slayer in action are the ones that she is killing. All that is left when she has slain the immortal is a pile of ash. Only females are able to access the slayer gene. If there are only males in the family or it is a male that was bitten but rescued then it will skip generations until another female is born…

_Brianna Smith was born 1864_

_Brianna Smith (Slayer) married Robert Swan and had one son Quinton 1884_

_Quinton Swan married Carol James and had one son Benjamin 1902_

_Benjamin Swan married Natasha Bright and had one son Roy 1917_

_Roy Swan married Laura Boyer and had one son Daniel 1934_

_Daniel Swan married Tabitha Grant and had one son John 1950_

_John Swan married Elizabeth Brine and had one son Charlie 1968 _

_Charlie Swan married Renee Higgenbotham and had one daughter _

_**Isabella (Slayer) 1992**_

**Edward POV**

Over the past couple of months, Chase and I had been doing our research on the Swan family. We needed to be prepared when we came face to face with Isabella. The last time she came in contact with Chase she rendered him powerless. Eventually, Caius was the one who gave us the answers that we sought.

Chase and I were in the Volturi library looking through journals trying to find anything that could help explain what happened between Chase and Isabella when he attacked her. Caius came into the chamber and said, "You're wasting your time searching through those journals. You won't find the answers you seek there.

"Isabella Swan is a Vampire Slayer. When a human is bitten by one of us but the venom is sucked out of their bodies the venom that remains in their blood stream causes a mystical change to their bodies. It gives them the ability to defend themselves against immortals."

I raked my hand through my hair and said, "As far as I know Isabella has never been bitten by one of our kind."

"It wasn't Isabella but a descendent of hers."

This was interesting information. I was surprised that they knew about Isabella being a slayer and had done nothing to destroy her.

"Why wasn't the first slayer destroyed since she was a threat to our existence?"

"She wasn't a threat to the vampire world. Had she left her land to seek out our kind to kill then we would have disposed of her. If some unsuspecting vampire strayed onto her land and got them selves killed that was on them."

This didn't make sense. The Volturi were blood thirsty killers why would they allow a human that not only knew of our existence but also could kill us live?

Caius could see the confusion on my face so he tried to explain. "Think back to the first time the Cullen Coven resided in Forks. At that time you had the ability to read minds. During the duration of your stay were there any questionable killings of our kind? Did any of the residents of Forks show any indication that they knew what you were?"

"No, our time in Forks was uneventful except for our run-in with the werewolves."

"You weren't a threat. Your choice of diet kept your family alive. Also at that time there wasn't a female born from that bloodline."

The whole time Caius and I had been talking Chase had not said a word. He cleared his throat and said, "How am I supposed to get close enough to her to make her mine if she can render me powerless?"

Caius looked at Chase and simply said, "Distract her."

**Renee POV**

An unfamiliar sound rang in my ear which caused me to startle awake this morning. I slowly peeled the covers off of my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed. As I stood up I looked in the direction that the noise came from. My legs felt like jell-o as I crept toward my bedroom door. I slowly walked down the stairs and my whole body shook as I got closer to the offending sound. I hesitantly opened my front door and slowly lifted my arm and stretched my hand out toward the wind chimes that hung on my front porch.

Once my hand made contact the chimes stopped and disappeared. I collapsed to the ground and began to cry. I thought back to the night that I found Bella behind our house in the woods…

_Bella was unconscious by the time Charlie made it home from Billy's house. It took several days before she finally woke-up. When she did she didn't remember what had happened. _

_That same night I was downstairs when I heard knocking at our back door. I looked through the window and saw Catori as she stood by the tree line. I opened the door and began to walk down the stairs. The next instant I was in the middle of the dark forest getting soaked from the storm. _

_I turned around in a circle and immediately recognized where I was. This was the place that Bella and I were almost attacked by that vampire when she was a child. I struggled to breathe. I didn't want to move for fear that some type of monster would jump out at me from the shadows._

_Catori stood before me and said, "Don't fear. No harm will come near you this night."_

"_Catori, why are we out here in the middle of the forest in this storm? How did we even get here?"_

_This had to be a dream because Catori looked translucent and her voice had an echoing effect. "We are here because you have come full circle and the time has come for you to once again put your love for your family above all else and make a hard choice."_

_I felt the dread and panic take hostage in my chest. I violently shook my head and cried," I won't break Charlie's heart again. I refuse to lie to him and leave him again!"_

_Catori looked at me with nothing but compassion as she walked toward me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and we locked eyes. Without speaking she showed me what my fate was meant to be. _

_I closed my eyes. I couldn't bear to see anymore. When I opened my eyes, I was standing on my porch. Catori was no longer visible but I could barely make out her voice in the wind. "You will know the time has come when you hear the wind chimes sing…All will be well, Renee, A mother's love holds no bounds…"_

**So as you can see Chase actually struggled with keeping his evil monster at bay. But stadistic Jane made the evilness come out and play. Oh I wish I could have made Jane and Chase a couple THAT would have been something to read. But they wouldn't last an hour before she killed him.**

**Thanks DreaC for helping me with this chapter. Once I get Wolfskill's bata'd chapter I'll repost this.**

**Thanks for all the reviews and the record breaking story alerts!**


	32. Chapter 32 The Slayer from Within

**Bella POV**

_Night of the Ceremony continued…_

Billy announced that it was time for me to ride off with my mate. Jacob lay on his belly and Embry picked me up and placed me on Jacob's back. As my wolf slowly rose, I gasped and gripped handfuls of Jacob's hair to assure that I wouldn't fall off.

As Jacob started to walk toward the tree line Sam yelled, "Lean forward, Bella, and wrap your arms around his neck. Once he passes the tree line, he will run the rest of the way."

I quickly did as I was told and also closed my eyes. Sam was right. As soon as we reached the trees Jacob started to run at top speed. The quick pace was incredible. I felt a couple of branches quickly brush my arms and face as we rushed by.

I never thought I'd get the opportunity to ride through the forest on my wolf like this. I'd always been too afraid to ask, assuming he would have refused, because he feared for my safety. Suddenly, I noticed Jacob was no longer running but was walking instead. I took a chance, raising my head slightly and opening my eyes. I knew where we were immediately.

We were in the forest just behind Jacob's house. Jacob came to a stop and slowly lowered me to the ground. I realized that it was time for me to get down. I very cautiously slid off his back and waited to see what would happen next.

My wolf leaned forward, and with his snout, gently pushed me in the direction of the house. His actions confused me for a moment, but then I realized that he must have wanted me to leave the forest so he could phase back.

"Do you want me to give you space to phase back?"

My wolf shook his massive head up and down in a yes gesture. I turned toward the house and walked in that direction. Once I was far enough away from the tree line, I stopped and waited. A few moments later, Jacob emerged from the trees in his human form once again.

I smiled as Jacob walked toward me and said excitedly, "That was fun and such a rush! You have to let me ride you more often."

Jake smiled, closed the distance between us, wrapped his arms around me, yanked me toward him and seductively said, "So…you liked riding me? It's good to know that you liked being on top. You can ride me any time you want."

My face became hot and I knew that at that moment I resembled a tomato. "I…ah…are we talking about the same thing? I liked riding the wolf…I mean when you were a wolf and you were running through the forest with me on your back."

Jacob gave my waist a squeeze and said, "I know exactly what you mean. I just like to see you blush."

I stared into Jacob's eyes, and after a few moments he frowned and asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

I raised my hand and brushed his cheek. "Your eyes, they are the darkest brown I've ever seen them."

Jacob wrapped one of his hands around my hand that was touching his face. He turned it palm up and lowered his head to gently kiss the middle of my palm. The contact of his hot, soft lips on my skin caused a liquid heat to rush through my arm and through out the rest of my body. My legs also began to tremble.

Jacob let my hand go and leaned toward the side of my face. He pressed his lips just behind my ear. I jumped from the electric shock that jolted my body.

"My eyes are so dark because I need you, Bella."

I found it hard to concentrate and form words. I was barely able to whisper, "If the wolf needs me then shouldn't your eyes be yellow?"

Jacob leaned back so that he stared directly into my eyes. "The night I killed Chase the wolf inside me was in control and he needed to claim his mate. _I'm_ in control tonight and I want to make love to my wife."

Jacob quickly swept me off my feet and carried me toward the house. Once we were inside, Jacob carried me through the kitchen, living room and down the hallway. He passed his bedroom and stopped in front of Rachel's door.

Jacob put me down so that I could stand and said, "Since Rachel has moved out and lives with Paul now this will be our room. Open the door, Bella."

I had butterflies in my stomach. Last night was the last time I would be sleeping in Forks. I placed my shaking hand around the door knob and turned the knob. As the door swung open, my eyes became huge. This room had been totally transformed. The walls were no longer a cotton candy pink color but instead were a dark burnt orange color. The full size bed had been replaced with a king and it had a wooden headboard and dresser to match. There were red and white rose petals all over the floor and bed. White candles were lit throughout the room which caused a romantic glow.

I slowly walked into the room. "This is beautiful! When did you have time to do this without me finding out about it? Where did you get the money to do it?"

"Sam, Paul, and Jared helped me paint last week while you were still in school. The bedroom furniture was a gift from my dad and your parents. Leah, Kim and Angela decorated with the roses and candles. Do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you for doing all of this for me."

Jacob walked pass me and picked up a box that was on the dresser. He gave it to me and said, "I'm gong to go and take a shower. Once I leave please open your gift and put it on."

Jake turned away from me and left the room. I walked over to the bed and placed the box down to open it. Inside was lingerie. It was a burgundy baby doll style top with matching panties. I blushed when I held it up to the light because it was somewhat sheer. It wasn't raunchy or porn level but modest enough to not make me too uncomfortable. Jacob had also left a note.

_Dear Bella, Just know that you have made me the happiest man alive and I will devote the rest of my life making sure that you are happy in return. Love Always, Your Husband Jake_

I wanted to cry. Jacob was so sweet. I was thankful that I did indeed follow my heart. I got undressed quickly and put on the outfit Jacob had bought me. It fit perfectly. I looked in the mirror and was shocked to not see the usual teenage Bella that wore tank tops and boy shorts, but staring back at me was a woman. I picked up a brush that was on the dresser and began to brush my hair.

I became very nervous as I waited for Jacob. Tonight was different from the other times we'd been intimate. Not just because I was now his wife but the sensations pulsating through me right now felt like nothing I'd experienced before. The physical connection between Jacob and I was different. When he kissed my hand and behind my ear it didn't just feel good. It felt…like I'd been drugged. Like something inside of me was forced awake and every part of my body felt it at the same time.

I'd never felt this level of pleasure before. I wanted more but at the same time I feared if my body could handle so much at once. The door slowly opened and Jacob stepped into the room. I could see him through the reflection in the mirror. His hair was dripping with water, and there were droplets of water rolling down his chest and across his sculpted stomach to the edge of the towel that hung loosely around his hips.

The brush fell out of my hand as I watched Jacob approach me. As Jacob stood behind me, he wrapped his arms round my waist, looked at me through the reflection in the mirror and with a smirk said, "Breathe Bella."

Jacob rubbed his large hands up and down my arms. Once again I shivered but not because I was cold. It felt like fireworks were going off throughout my body. I closed my eyes, moaned, and fell back against Jacob's hard wet chest. Jacob pulled my hair away from my neck and I felt his breath as he inhaled.

"I love how sweet you smell to me. You have no idea what your scent does to me."

He placed his hands on both sides of my hips and pulled me back against him. Jacob moaned out, "Bella."

I struggled to continue to stand and my breathing started to quicken. It was getting harder for me to compose a coherent thought but I managed to ask, "What about Billy?"

"He's staying at your parent's house for a couple of days. Everyone knows to stay away. It's just me and you…"

**Jacob POV**

Billy had warned me that once we completed the final part of the Alpha imprinting ceremony that there would be an instant change between Bella and I. The pull we had toward each other would intensify, my protectiveness of her would reach new levels and what Bella and I would experience on an intimate and emotional level would be insane.

He was right, my heart felt like it was going to burst from beating so rapidly due to all the fierce sensations pulsating through my body. I was on a euphoric high and we had only just started our night together. Once again, Bella was forced to jump head first into the unknown, and I could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

"Do you trust me, Bells?"

"Yes, with my life."

"Then I need you to relax and not be afraid. Everything that you feel right now is normal. This is what your mom meant when she said to you several months back that once the three months were over you would be begging for us to be married. I can promise you that after tonight there won't be another reality that you will want to be apart of."

I grabbed Bella's hand and walked her to the bed and said, "Make your self comfortable."

Bella sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked up and made eye contact with me. As she began to scoot backward toward the headboard, she never looked away from me. Once she reached the pillows she stopped and laid back, still not breaking eye contact. I got on the bed and hovered above her and just before our lips came together I said, "Welcome home, Mrs. Black."

**Renee POV**

As a parent you always take for granted the milestones that you get to experience with your children. Such as: their first steps, first words, first day of school, first relationship, graduating from high school and then college, getting married and having children.

No one would ever know how thankful I was that I'd been allowed to experience so much of my daughter's life. I was on borrowed time and didn't know exactly how much more time I had left but I had decided that I would make every day count. The ceremony today was very special to me, and I was glad that Bella decided to follow her heart. I was content in knowing that no matter what; she would be protected and that as her mother, I would be able to do whatever it took to make sure that she would fulfill her destiny.

As I watched my daughter ride off into the woods with Jacob, tears began to fall down my cheeks. An outsider would automatically assume that these were tears of joy at seeing Bella take that final step in growing up, but really I was in pain, because I didn't know the exact time when I would once again have to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure my families safety.

Charlie placed his arm around my shoulder and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I smiled as I looked at him. "Renee, are you okay? Would you like me to get you something to drink?"

I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and said, "It seems like just yesterday Bella was learning how to walk. Now she's married."

"Yeah, and before you know it we'll be grandparents."

I couldn't respond to that. It hurt to realize that would be a part of Bella's life that I would not be a part of. As I watched Charlie get me some punch, I felt someone next to me so I turned around and saw it was Nata. She grabbed my hands and said, "Be strong, Renee, the love of a mother holds no bounds."

_Six months later…_

**Bella POV**

Life was good because Jacob and I were happy. Instead of Jacob working for Mr. Miller liked he planned, he decided to work for Sam. That way his hours could be as flexible as they needed to be with no questions asked. I quit my job at the Newton Store. I worked part-time as an English tutor at Forks Community College. I liked that job a whole lot better than selling a bunch of camping equipment that I knew nothing about.

Sam/Leah, Rachel/ Paul, Jared/Kim and Embry/Angela also went through the second part of the imprint ceremony so we were all newly married couples. Quil was the only one that was still in the engaged stage. Claire was still too young and it seemed liked she wouldn't be ready for a couple more years. Seth, Brady, and Collin still had not imprinted but they were happy with their single status. It was fun to them getting all of the attention from the teenage girls because of their built bodies and handsome faces. They believed that they were too young to settle down.

Living with Jacob was wonderful. He was right. After our wedding night I never went back to my thinking that getting married so young was a mistake. Jacob was my oxygen and I would die without him.

I had not had anymore dreams and there had been no vampire activity. Not even a nomad passed by. That should have been something to celebrate but we all knew that was false hope because we wouldn't have so many werewolves running around if there still wasn't some type of threat coming. As they say, every good thing has to come to an end…

**Thank you dreaC for betaing. Shall we all give a hudge sigh for Jacob...wet...and nothing but a towel? Not quite a lemon but it was a little lemon flavored right? **

**Thanks for the reviews and story alerts. More action next chapter.**


	33. Chapter 33 Don't Call Me Buffy

**Resubmitted February 11, 2011**

**Jacob POV**

I loved Paul, he was like a big brother to me, but sometimes he was an idiot. The whole slayer situation with Bella was a touchy subject. No one knew exactly how her power worked and there was no damn way she'd ever get close enough to a leech to find out exactly how she killed them.

Paul seemed to think that Bella's power was something to make jokes about, and he started calling her Buffy. Bella didn't like the new nickname and repeatedly asked Paul not to call her that. This seemed to fuel Paul to step the teasing up to higher levels. Once he called her cell phone, disguised his voice, and said that he was Rupert Giles, her _watcher._ Bella looked confused and told the caller that they had the wrong number.

I heard the conversation and was a little confused myself. So I asked Bella if she knew what a watcher was. She shrugged her shoulders and said that she didn't know. Just then, Billy wheeled himself into the living room where we were and he was snickering. I asked him what was so funny and he said that the phone call Bella had just gotten was a crank call. The watcher was a character from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and on the show Rupert Giles had been Buffy's first watcher.

I looked at my dad and asked him why he would even know something like that, and he said that for a while he was hooked on the show. It was interesting and fun watching someone kill vampires. One look at Bella's face and I knew that if Paul knew what was good for him he would let the Buffy jokes go. I tried to warn him on several occasions but as they say, "A hard head leads to a soft behind…"

One night, Sam, Embry, Quil, and Paul were hanging out at our house along with our imprints. We had rented movies and the girls had cooked a massive dinner for us. Everyone was having a great time until Paul had to be an ass and instigate the whole Buffy crap again. The girls were sitting in the kitchen talking about girl stuff while we were in the living room watching The Expendables.

I was so into the movie that I didn't notice Paul had gotten up and gone into the kitchen. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash and a high-pitched scream. It was Rachel. Embry, Quil and I got up and ran into the kitchen. I felt like I was in an alternate universe. What I saw in the kitchen should have been impossible.

Our dinning room table was broken in half and Paul was sprawled out on the floor. _Bella_ stood over him with a long wooden stake. She was yelling about how tired she was of his jokes. Her life was not a joke and she was tired of him not taking her powers seriously.

Paul's common sense had finally kicked in and he kept his mouth shut while Bella ranted and raved still flinging the wooden stake in front of his face. I quickly went to Bella's side and asked her what was going on. When she turned to look at me, I involuntarily took a step back because her eyes were yellow. When Bella's eyes were yellow I knew not to piss her off. She stepped over Paul, dropped the stake on the floor, and yelled out for me to ask someone else because she was going to bed.

I turned to Paul and kicked him in his side. I heard a couple of his ribs crack. I yelled at him that he was lucky that was all I broke. I demanded to know what he had done and why we no longer had a dinning room table. Paul told me that he had come into the kitchen with a wooden stake in his hand and had given it to Bella. He told her that Rupert Giles had just dropped it off and wanted her to practice her vampire slaying techniques because her last kill was too messy and it took to long.

Paul didn't think much of it when Bella charged toward him and got in his face. He admitted that it was a mistake to underestimate how strong she actually was now that her Slayer powers had manifested. He admitted that it was stupid of him to start laughing at her because that was when she pushed him and he went flying into the air and crashed into the table. Next thing he knew, she was standing over him waving the stake and ripping him a new one.

I wanted to laugh because Paul got just what he deserved. He had been taunting Bella for weeks and I wasn't going to tolerate him causing my imprint any more irritation so I told Paul that he needed to leave, and I expected him to apologize to Bella when she cooled off, and our table needed to be replaced by the end of the next day. Rachel gave me a hug and apologized for Paul being such an ass and they left. Not long after, everyone else went home too.

I went into our bedroom and was relieved that Bella had calmed down enough to actually go to sleep. I got undressed and laid down on the bed beside her. I thought about the one and only fight Bells and I had experienced since we'd been married and slightly shuddered at the thought of how she'd almost taken my head off with a pipe wrench…

_Bella and I had been married for almost a month and things were going well. Bella always got up while I took my shower in the morning to get ready for work and she would cook breakfast for us. We would sit down at the kitchen table, eat breakfast, and talk about a bunch of random stuff. _

_This particular morning I'd noticed that Bella was already dressed, so I asked her what her plans were for the day. She told me that Renee had the flu and hadn't been to work in two days. Her mother was upset because one of her favorite author's was going to be doing a book signing in Port Angeles and she would miss it._

_So Bella had volunteered to get her mom's book signed for her. I shook my head and told Bella that she couldn't drive to Port Angeles today because everyone from the pack either was working, already patrolling, or at school so there was no one to go with her._

_A very deep frown creased Bella's forehead, and she looked like she'd just tasted a very sour lemon. I had never seen that particular facial expression on her before and it wasn't very attractive. I felt a slight tingling sensation creep down my spine. I should have heeded that as a warning but at the moment I didn't know any better. _

_Bella stood up and walked toward the living room where her jacket and purse were sitting and told me that she didn't need anyone from the pack to come with her. There hadn't been any vampire activity in Forks or La Push in months. All she planned to do was hurry into the bookstore, get her mom's book signed, and hurry out and back home. It wasn't a big deal. She would have her cell phone and Angela was going to ride with her._

_I knew with my imprint's track record with the supernatural the day she chose to go to Port Angeles would be the day they'd be having some kind of International Vampire Convention. I grabbed her truck keys off of the living room table and once again told her that she couldn't go to Port Angeles without protection._

_As Bella stood in the living room with her mouth slightly open from the shock of me taking her keys, I noticed that her eyes had started to change colors. Instead of the dark chocolate brown I was accustomed to seeing, they were turning yellow very rapidly. Like before, I felt that same tingling sensation creeping down my spine and once again I ignored it. _

_I waited for Bella to start yelling at me or throw a tantrum but she did neither. Instead, she continued to put her jacket on, picked up her purse, and walked out the front door. I yelled out," What are you going to do, walk to Port Angeles?"_

_She didn't respond right away. I heard her walk down the stairs and continue on down the trail that led to the garage. She slid the garage door open and I heard her say, "Of course not, I'll just jack me a rabbit." It took a moment to understand what she meant when she said that but once I did, I took off running toward the garage. I forgot that she kept a spare key for my Rabbit in her purse. _

_She was still digging in her purse for the key when I made it inside of the garage. By this time I was furious. Bella was deliberately undermining my authority as her husband and her protector. I did the first stupid thing that came to mind and snatched her purse out of her hands and flung it out the garage door and said, "You might as well tell Renee that she's going to have to miss out on that autograph because you are not going to Port Angeles today. So just get that idea out of your head."_

_For the third time, I felt that same tingling sensation creep down my spine, and just like the other times I ignored it. There was total silence. I could barely hear Bella breathe. As a matter of fact, instead of her heart rate increasing like it usually did when she was upset it slowed down to an almost unsafe level. I also noticed that her eyes were so yellow that they were almost glowing in the dark garage. _

_Bella still had that unattractive frown on her face when she said in a very calm voice, "I can't believe you just snatched my purse out of my hands and threw it outside. Are you really trying to strong arm me and forbid me to go and do something for a member of my family? Jacob, I am a Slayer. I kill vampires just like you. I don't need protection; I can take care of myself."_

_I walked away from her and back toward the entrance of the garage and mumbled, "Yeah, like you did with Chase?"_

_I heard Bella suck in a breath, and next thing I knew a pipe wrench went flying just past the side of my face and instead of bouncing off the wall upon impact it was halfway stuck inside the wall. The tingling sensation was once again back and this time I understood exactly what that feeling meant. _

_I went outside, picked up Bella's purse, went back into the garage and handed it to her. I also gave her back her keys. As I turned away from her I mumbled, "Call me when you are on your way back." I went back into the house to finish getting ready for work. A few minutes later, I heard Bella peeling out of the driveway in her truck. _

She called me around four that evening to let me know that she was back home. I made sure that when I came home that night I had a new book for her to read and two dozen long-stemmed roses and of course. I learned never to piss a yellowed eyed Bella- that looks like she had just finished sucking on a lemon off.

**Thanks for reading! Thank you DreaC for helping with this chapter!**


	34. Chapter 34 It's Time

**Bella POV**

_I was doing my weekly shopping at the grocery store in Forks. I had just finished paying for my items and had walked out the store when I felt a warm sensation run up and down the back of my neck. _

_I abruptly stopped pushing my cart and turned around quickly to make sure that there was nothing standing behind me that could have caused the sensation. I felt like I was being watched, so I slowly began to scan the parking lot to see if I noticed anything out of the ordinary looming around. _

_Standing next to my truck was a young girl that looked like she could have been in her early teens. She was dressed strangely in a black cape dress that stopped at her knees; she had on white stockings and Mary Jane style shoes. I was unable to get a clear view of her face because she had on a black hood._

_I started to walk in that direction but as I came closer she disappeared. I turned around in a complete circle but couldn't find the young girl anywhere. I decided that it was time for me to get back to La Push, so I left the shopping cart in the parking lot and ran the rest of the way to my truck. Just as I was about to open the door, the young girl had once again appeared in front of me. We stood face to face as she gripped my wrist and yanked my hand off the handle of my truck._

_I sucked in a breath because her hand felt like ice as it touched my skin, and underneath the black hood were crimson-colored eyes. She smiled at me evilly and said, "Please don't go. A friend of mine has gone through a lot of trouble to come back and see you."_

_She disappeared and I no longer was standing in the parking lot of the grocery store, but instead I was in the middle of the forest. I could hear talking ahead of me beyond some trees, so I walked in that direction. _

_My heart almost stopped beating when I saw the scene before me. It was Renee, and she was holding a young child whom I believed was me when I was around two years old. Standing across from her was one of the Cullens._

_As I got closer, I stood behind Renee and realized that neither of them could see me. They were in the middle of a heated conversation…_

"_Please, you can do whatever you want with me, but don't hurt my daughter."_

"_Sorry, but I can't promise you that because my son wants her, but I am willing to make a deal with you. You have to answer this question first. Do you know what I am?"_

"_Yes, I know what you are. You're a filthy bloodsucker."_

"_I see you're just as feisty as your daughter. I like that. My time with you will be very enjoyable. I will make you a deal. If you agree to let me change you into what I am, I won't let Chase kill everyone you love when he comes for Bella, and I won't let Chase make Bella watch as he kills her Alpha very slowly and painfully. If you deny to be changed, then I will let Chase have free rein to kill who ever he wants in both La Push and Forks. I'll make you watch as I suck your husband dry, and then I will change you into what I am anyway."_

_Suddenly, there was a woman's voice behind me that yelled, "You won't win this war."_

_The vampire backed away and looked in the direction of that voice. I was scared to turn around, because I did not want to take my eyes of the vampire ahead of me. The vampire said, "You have no idea what you are up against. We will crush you. Chase and I are no longer Cullens, and we have embraced our true nature." _

_The voice behind me was a woman, and she did not seem to have any fear about what was standing before us. She began to say something in another language that I did not know, and it sounded like it was Quileute. Suddenly, the wind began to blow, and the smug look on the vampire's face began to fade. It was replaced with a look of fear because he was beginning to crack. I could see it and hear it; little fissures were forming on his face. He looked in my direction and this time he was able to see me. The vampire made eye contact with me and said, "This is not over, Bella, I will be back." Then he was gone. _

_For the first time, I noticed the child that my mother was holding. I was right, it was me when I was a toddler and as she stared at me she was smiling and her eyes were yellow…_

Needless to say, I was a hysterical mess when I woke up from that dream. Jacob was on patrol, but my screams were so loud that Embry could hear me from his house. He got in contact with Jacob so he could come home and calm me down. Once Jake figured out what was wrong, he called Nata and asked if we could come over so she could interpret the dream.

I knew immediately after telling her the dream that her interpretation would be bad. I saw the hesitation and sadness in her eyes as she started to speak.

"Bella, I know that we have had this conversation before about the possibility that Chase could still be alive. You and Jacob were positive that he was dead. I don't know how it is possible, but part of the dream you just had is clearly letting us know that Chase is indeed alive, and he is coming for you.

"This dream is warning us that these vampires are much stronger and more ruthless than the Cullens were before. They are coming to completely destroy Forks and La Push, and they won't be coming alone."

Nata had to be wrong. There was no way Chase could still be alive. "He can't be alive. I saw Jacob kill him and burn him to ash. Once a vampire is burned completely he can't reassemble himself. You have to be mistaken."

Nata sat forward in her chair and grabbed my hands. "No, Bella, I'm not mistaken. Somehow Chase is clearly alive. I am one hundred percent sure about that."

Jacob grabbed me around the waist and pulled me onto his lap and gave me a squeeze. He cleared his throat and said, "The comment that the girl leech made by Bella's truck was referring to Chase coming back for Bella."

Nata nodded her head to indicate that Jacob was correct.

We were all silent for a moment. This was difficult for me to process. I never thought I would have to encounter Chase again. I could only imagine the horrific revenge he would want to get for Jacob snapping his neck.

I didn't want to know anymore, but I knew that in order to know what we were up against I would have to ask some difficult questions and cope with whatever answers I was told.

I took a deep breath and said, "So…what was the deal with my mom, me and the Cullen in the forest?"

"That part of your dream was very similar to the actual incident that happened with your mother when you were a young child. I'm glad that you dreamt about that part because your dream just gave some clarity to something that we had all made assumptions about.

"We always thought that Catori had some type of power that caused the vampire to start to deteriorate. But now I know exactly what happened. At the end of your dream you saw that your toddler self had yellow eyes. The same color eyes that you have been known to get when you are angry. Even as a young child your instincts knew that you and your mother were in danger, but you were too young to kill the vampire. Catori drew from your Slaying powers and caused enough damage to the Cullen to cause him to flee."

The only word that came to mind was "wow". I had always thought that my destiny to be a part of the supernatural world started when I came in contact with Jacob. But it seemed that was not the case.

Nata sat back and stared at me for a moment, and I could tell that she was thinking about how to say her next statement.

"Bella, do you remember the council meeting we had when we back tracked your family tree and realized that for six generations only males were born on your father's side of the family? I'm beginning to believe that vampire activity wasn't the only reason why the wolf gene was activated, but also because you were born. Maybe Jacob didn't pick you, but you picked him."

There were no words to describe what I felt at the moment. There were too many pieces to this puzzle that we could not find.

"It's not fair! There are accurate and clear records of the werewolf history of your tribe. But there is absolutely nothing about the Slayers in my family except that one sad broken down story that was told to Charlie as a child.

"Everything concerning me is such a question mark and it's too much guessing and assuming involved. There is a huge part of me that I know nothing about."

Nata stood up, stretched and said, "I know it's frustrating for you, but we will figure this out. Maybe this is the way it's supposed to be. The last Slayer didn't have a handbook to go by either. I'm sure she had to figure a lot out on her own, and she didn't have a wolf pack to back her up."

A thought crossed my mind and I quickly scrambled off of Jacob's lap and began pacing back forth across the room.

"I was wondering why your tribe didn't keep my ancestor on your land sense they knew how powerful she would be against vampires."

I heard Jake make a sound with his mouth as if I should have known the answer to that question. "Bella, you have to think about the era the last Slayer lived in. There was no way a pale-face could live on an Indian reservation and it not draw suspicion. By her being so young it would have been assumed that she'd been kidnapped. As valuable as she could have been to our tribe, they would not have done that. Plus, it would not have been fair to keep her away from her family."

"You're right. That makes a lot of sense."

I turned to Nata and said, "Thanks for taking the time to interpret my dream. I feel a lot better knowing what's going on."

Nata gave me a hug and said, "Sure, Bella, that's what I'm here for."

Jacob walked me to the door but didn't leave with me. He told me that he needed to talk to Nata and he would run home when he was done. I told Nata good-bye once again and left.

**Jacob POV**

Nata was hiding something. Every other time she had interpreted Bella's dreams, she went through every sequence with a fine toothed comb. There was a whole section of the dream that she totally glossed over. I stood by the door and waited until I heard Bella drive away. I then went back into the living room and sat back down on the couch. I folded my arms across my chest and waited for Nata to say something.

Nata sat across from me in a chair and she also had her arms crossed. Eventually, she caved and spoke first. "I'm guessing you want to talk about why I didn't discuss the part of the dream concerning Renee."

"Yes."

"I can't tell you."

"Why not? Bella has a right to know if there is something about to happen that involves her mother."

"Bella knows everything that she is supposed to know."

"What does that mean exactly?"

Nata stood up and started to walk toward the front door.

"Jacob, we all have our part to play in this war. Some of us are out on the front lines, and it's clear what our roles will be to help bring victory. There are also others that have roles that are just as important, but it's not for everyone to see and know about. Catori was a great example of that.

"Renee knows where her destiny lies and she's prepared to do her part to win this war. That's all I can tell you, so please drop it."

I reached for the door knob to let myself out but Nata stopped me and said, "Bella will have to make a very difficult choice that could possibly crush her spirit. It will be your responsibility to keep her focused or I grantee you that Chase Cullen will indeed win and destroy us all."

I wish that I could force Nata to tell me what was going to happen concerning Renee because there was no way I could sit back and wait for something to come and harm my Bella or anyone that she cared about. How was I supposed to look her in the eyes and act like I knew no more than she did and wait for the devastation to come and possibly destroy her?

Nata placed her hand over my hand that was gripping her front door knob to get my attention. As I looked at her, I could see the compassion in her eyes. She squeezed my hand and said, "You must not think that you are failing your Imprint. There are some things that aren't in your power to protect her from. She is your Imprint but at the same time Bella is a Slayer. You will have to step back and allow her to walk in the destiny that was set out before her just as she has to step back and let you be Alpha.

"Call the council members together. There is one more part of Bella's dream that needs to be discussed, and it would be better to have everyone around when we talk about it."

I spent the next hour calling everyone for a council meeting that would take place later on today. I decided to not go home, but instead I went to First Beach and spent the couple of hours before the meeting staring at the waves that were crashing onto shore.

**Nata POV**

It hurt to not fully interpret Bella's dream for her because I knew that she trusted me. I had a feeling that Jacob would pick up on the fact that I didn't have much to say about Renee being in this dream and it bothered me that I wouldn't be able to give him some type of warning.

I waited about thirty minutes to make sure that Jacob was gone before I picked up the phone and called Renee. It rang several times before she finally answered.

"Hello."

"Renee, its Nata. Can you talk?"

"Yeah, Charlie isn't here right now."

"Bella had another dream."

"I know. Jacob just called to let Charlie and I know that you wanted to have a meeting to go over a dream that my daughter had."

"Renee, you were in this dream."

I waited for a response but I heard nothing on the other line except breathing.

"Renee…"

"Nata, don't. There's nothing to say. We all have our part to play and pretty soon it will be my turn."

I wanted to cry. This was a great woman and I wished that there was something I could do to stop the path she would have to travel.

"You're so brave. Most people would have crumbled by now."

"I'm not brave. I just love my family more than life itself."

_Four Hours Later… at the council meeting_

"Isabella Black had another dream last night and she came to me for interpretation. There are three major issues that need to be addressed. The hybrid Chase Cullen is not dead. The whole Cullen coven will not be coming, but instead it will be the hybrid and his father. They won't be coming alone, and their intention is for Chase to come for Bella and destroy both La Push and Forks."

_Silence…one minute…two…three…four…_

This wasn't the reaction that I expected. I had expected either Harry or Quil Sr. to jump up and dispute my claim that Chase Cullen was alive. I'd expected the pack members to be excited to finally have the opportunity to fight some bloodsuckers. Instead there was silence.

Eventually Billy was the first to talk.

"Nata, I know that this has come up before when you have interpreted a dream for Isabella. You claimed at that time also that Chase was alive but since Bella and Jacob were so sure that he had been killed you didn't push it and considered that maybe that part of the dream was not to be taken literally. Why is this time different?"

"Because of what the female vampire said '_Please don't go. A friend of mine has gone through a lot of trouble to come back and see you.'_

"That phrase has a double meaning. "A friend of mine" means that there will be other vampires involved and "come back and see you" means that Chase was indeed dead but some how he is alive again."

I looked toward Billy, Quil Sr. and Harry and asked, "Has it ever been told in one of our legends about a vampire coming back to life after it had been burned?"

"They all shook their heads no."

I looked at Jacob and said, "Alpha Jacob, when you encountered the Great White Wolf do you recall any information about vampires defeating death once they were set on fire?"

Jacob also shook his head no.

"Well, I can't explain it, but I can guarantee that I'm not wrong. I guess it would be a waste of time to focus on that right now. My suggestion would be when another vampire is dismembered and burned do not leave the ashes lying around, but instead take them and dispose of them yourselves. There is no telling what the Cullens did with those ashes once they left Forks."

Angela timidly raised her hand. I could tell that she was nervous about being a part of this meeting because her face had turned slightly red.

"Yes, Angela?"

"I was wondering…Um…I understand that Chase would come back to seek revenge for what happened between him and Jacob but I've never understood what his obsession with Bella was about."

"That is a difficult question to answer. I don't fully know what the hybrid's reason for going after Bella could be. Because Bella is a Slayer, vampires are drawn to her. The hybrid's father admitted his attraction to her blood when she was a toddler. I'm guessing it has something to do with that."

Jared was the next to comment.

"I'm glad you brought that up. Since vampires are supposed to be drawn to Bella, how come we haven't encountered any coming after her?"

I had wondered the same thing. I had no idea how to answer that question.

"Honestly, I don't know. There should be at least a minimal amount of vampire activity in Washington or neighboring states but there has been absolutely nothing. It doesn't make sense."

As the meeting went on more and more questions were asked but no clear answers were given. Harry and Billy decided that they were going to continue to search through the legends to see if maybe something had been over looked. When the meeting was over everyone had the same look in their eyes…how were we expected to fight something that we knew nothing about?

**Chase POV**

Preparation and patience, those two words kept me sane as I waited for the opportune time to seek my revenge and claim Isabella as mine. This was a war that the werewolves would not be able to win. They knew nothing about the Volturi and the destructive powers that the Volturi guard possessed.

Edward wanted me to grab Isabella, leave and not wreak havoc on Forks and La Push, but I needed to see Jacob Black's face when I bit his mate and made her mine.

We'd been in Seattle for a couple of weeks, waiting for the right moment to strike. We knew that we had to tread lightly, because there were more wolves in La Push and they kept a tight ring of protection around Isabella.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Volturi have had to redirect several of our kind from crossing into Washington, because we were trying to give the wolves a false sense of security and hoped that they would become more lax.

There was a moment when we could have snatched Isabella quickly and without a trace. She was observed driving to Port Angeles with another human, and she didn't have a wolf escort. Mia and Edward followed her at a distance but made sure not to make their presence known. They were both a little weary about the situation because it went against what the wolves had been doing concerning Isabella to let her suddenly go so far away without any protection. She made it back to La Push without ever knowing that she had been followed by vampires the whole time.

I wasn't allowed any where near Forks or La Push. They appointed Jane as my babysitter because they knew that I wouldn't do anything to cause her wrath to come upon me. No one wanted our carefully calculated plan to go up in smoke because I couldn't control myself once Bella was within my reach.

The good thing about Jane was as long as I said nothing to her, she said nothing to me. At least until today…

"Will you _please _stop_?"_

Jane sat back on her chair, never breaking eye contact with me and said, "Stop what?"

"Staring at me as if you're trying to decide if you want to have me for breakfast, lunch, or dinner."

She smiled, which made me very uncomfortable, because Jane never smiled unless there was some type of destruction or death involved.

"I'm attracted to you, Chase. The reason why I've been staring at you is because I was wondering if there was a way to have you without killing you."

I suddenly felt like I had something caught in my throat. She wanted me like _that_? Jane had always been unapproachable. I didn't believe that she was capable of having those types of feelings.

"Why me?"

"You are evil, spontaneous, and sexy."

I frowned and fear crept up my spine like tiny little spider legs. This was totally out of Jane's character. Sexy…she just said that I was sexy. This was not the type of conversation that I expected to have with a member of the Volturi guard.

Jane continued to stare at me and I could see the look of impatience start to creep across her face.

"Surely you have something to say about what I just said to you."

Yes, I had plenty to say but I wanted to live to see tomorrow so I kept my mouth shut and continued to keep my eyes locked on Jane.

Suddenly, Jane busted out into laughter. It wasn't a happy bubbly laugh, but more of a sinister cackle. "I don't believe this. Please don't tell me that my opinion of you has been wrong all of this time. The great and mighty Chase who wants to kill a pack of werewolves, take the Alpha's mate who- also happens to be a Slayer- to claim her as his own, doesn't know what to say when someone from the opposite sex says they are attracted to him."

"I know how to respond. I just don't think you can handle what I have to say. I'd like to be alive when Edward and Mia get back."

Jane rolled her eyes at me and said, "Speak freely."

"I'm honestly flattered and surprised that you feel that way about me. I always assumed by me being a Cullen and a hybrid you considered me beneath you. Unfortunately, even if I was a full-blooded vampire we still couldn't be together."

"Why not? We are so a like. We would have made a good match."

"Your right, we are alike in so many ways but not in the ways that truly would matter. You are sadistic and everyone is afraid of you, but when it comes to the ones that you love, your loyalty to them is unbreakable. I'm not like that. Look at my situation. I was raised by the Cullens but since Alice and Jasper refused to help me seek revenge, I threatened to kill them if I ever saw them again.

That devastated Alice but I felt no remorse for what I said and still don't. My connections with others are superficial. You and I would have started off well, but at some point of time I would have turned against you and broken your heart."

Jane stood up and knelt in front of me. She placed her hands on the top side of my thighs and lightly squeezed. "It's not so simple, Chase. When vampires are mated there is a bond that is unbreakable. You would have wanted me and never would have left me. That is what will happen to you when you finally have Isabella Swan as your mate. You think that your want for her is only being led by lust, but it goes deeper than that. You will love her and be devoted to her. She was designed for you, Chase, so stop lying to yourself that you will be able to toss her aside in a month or so. Once you bite her, you will be lost and consumed with love for her."

I didn't know if Jane was right or not. I wasn't sure about anything anymore. I thought about how my life would change once Isabella became a permanent part of my life. The honest, vulnerable Jane that was kneeling in front of me would disappear and go back to the unreadable merciless killer that she was known to be.

I raised one of my hands and lightly touched the side of her cheek. She closed her eyes nuzzled her cheek into my hand. I started to lean forward; I knew that kissing Jane was wrong. I couldn't give her what she wanted but at the same time she already knew that, but here she was letting me touch her.

"Jane, I need to talk to Chase alone."

I felt Jane as she went rigid and knew that if it had been anyone else besides her brother that had interrupted us at this moment they would have been a screaming mess on the floor.

I placed a hand on both sides of her face and forced her to look at me. Her eyes were no longer crimson, but instead were charcoal black. I was very turned on when I realized the effect I'd had on her even though our lips never had a chance to touch.

I gently pecked her lips and whispered, "Thank you for sharing your heart and exposing me to a truth about me that I didn't know existed."

Jane didn't respond, but instead stood up, nodded her head and left the room quickly.

Her brother watched her leave and then turned back to me. "I don't know what that was about and I plan to stay out of it but I will give you this advice. Jane is not experienced when it comes to having a physical relationship with another vampire. She has not learned control. If you two were to go down that road, I can guarantee you that she would unintentionally kill you."

"Why are you here?"

"I just got a call from Mia. She wanted me to let you know that they have decided to let a group of nomads cross into Washington. The leader is a tracker, his mate has the gift of evasion and the third nomad will be wolf food."

**Bella POV**

I woke up abruptly with Jacob snoring loudly next to me. Something was wrong. We were in danger. It wasn't something I could see but I just knew.

I shook Jacob until he opened his eyes and the only word that came out of my mouth was, "Vampire."

**Thank you DreaC for your help with is Chapter. It was a long one!**

**I really hope you liked this chapter. As of right now it's my favorite! Did I surprise you, get you all hyped that Chase was going to let Jane turn him out and get with her instead of claiming Bella?**

**Jane should always be feared but I wanted to give a glimpse of what life between her and Chase could be like if that were a possibility. Who knows, maybe it could be? **

**Have you guessed who's about to cross into Washington? Action! Action! Action!**

**Yes, Renee's fate will be revealed next chapter.**

**Oh, one last thing…Jacob Black N Pack is having a contest right now called Jacob Black N Pack Winter Awards. Go check out their site and please vote for the stories you like. They will be accepting nominations until February 25****th****. Here's the web link www(.)jacobblack-n-pack(.)ning(.)com(/) **

_**Just remove the parenthesis. **_


	35. Chapter 35 Gang Fanged

_**Gang fanged:**_ To be attacked and bitten by multiple vampires at once.

**Bella POV**

Jacob was up and out of the bed hunched in attack mode within seconds of hearing the word vampire. He looked around and I could see his nose slightly twitching.

"I don't smell anything, Bella."

I quickly hopped out of the bed and looked around as I said, "There isn't a vampire _here _right now, but there's one or more of them close enough for me to just know."

"Are you sure it wasn't another dream?"

"Look at my eyes, Jacob."

He turned toward me and stiffened when he saw the color of my eyes.

"Have my eyes ever changed colors before when I had a dream about vampires?"

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head. "No, they've always been their normal brown color. How do you know they are near?"

"I can feel a tingling sensation going up and down my back like I did in the last dream I had. I guess other than that it's just instinct. I just know that they are near."

Jacob walked toward the bedroom door and said, "I'll be back. I'm going to phase and let the pack know to come over here immediately."

Once Jacob left the room, I quickly went to our closet and picked out a pair of sweats and hoodie to put on. I was dressed and ready when Jacob made his way back into the room.

"What are we going to do, Jacob?"

"Jared and Seth are getting all of the imprints and my dad to take them to the Clearwater's. Quil and Colin are already in Forks patrolling so they will also make sure to keep an eye on your parent's house. Sam, Brady, and I will patrol La Push to see if we can find any vampire trails."

"What about Paul and Embry?"

Jacob stared at me as he took a deep breath. "They will be with you."

I frowned and shook my head. "No, that doesn't make sense. I'm going to be with the imprints. Jared and Seth will already be guarding me. You need Paul and Embry on the front line with you and the rest of the pack."

Jacob walked toward me never breaking eye contact. Once he was directly in front of me he straitened up to his full height and folded his arms across his chest.

"You will be on the front line along with the pack."

Jacob and I had never talked about what my role in this war would be. I'd assumed that fighting alongside him would never be a possibility. He was my protector and I was okay with being the protected. Having dreams that gave us warning of impending doom and sensing the presence of vampires was enough involvement for me. I didn't need to come face to face with a leech to feel like I'd accomplished something.

"Jacob, please don't feel like you have to include me in this. I'm okay with being with the other imprints."

"Bella, this is a matter of life and death. I would never make a judgment call based on how my decision would make you feel. You are a Slayer. You were chosen to help fight in this war. Your job is to fight by my side. This isn't something we can debate about. Paul and Embry have been given orders to not leave your side unless I give them the order to."

I didn't know what to say. I wanted to argue but then I remembered that not only was Jacob my husband but he was The Alpha, and if he believed that I needed to be a part of whatever was about to happen then I had to trust his judgment.

I followed Jacob outside and we waited for the pack to arrive. Once everyone had arrived, Jacob once again went over the plan. Everyone in the pack was to stay in wolf form at all times so that everyone could be accounted for. The wolves were to give a warning howl as soon as a vampire trail was found or if a leech was spotted in person.

Paul and Embry were ordered to follow any instructions that I gave them but never to leave my side unless not doing so would cause me harm. Paul was extremely hyped about partnering with me. He knew that Jacob must have had a great amount of respect and trust for them to entrust the safety of The Alpha's Imprint to him and Embry.

Paul placed his arm around my shoulder loosely and said, "This is cool, Bella. I get to be one of the first to see you slay something; just make sure you don't get gang fanged."

"Gang fanged?"

"Yeah, don't get bit up by a bunch of leeches."

"Death could be waiting for us around the corner and your cracking jokes?"

"It's not like that, Bella. I grew up in an f****d up home with a father that considered showing any type of compassion or concern for another person weakness. It's taken a lot to not walk down the same path as my dad. To cope I used to drink, fight, and be an ass to people that cared about me. Now I _crack jokes_."

"So, when you say, 'try not to get gang fanged' your really saying I care about you, Bella. Please don't get killed, it would crush me."

"Yeah, something like that."

_Two Hours Later…_

The pack had been running patrols for two hours and found nothing. We did learn something new though. It was a concern about Paul and Embry being in wolf form while with me because we wouldn't be able to communicate with each other if we needed to.

I couldn't hear their thoughts but somehow I knew what they wanted. It was like a sixth sense. It was freaky and something else to add to the list of things to research. After a while, I whispered for Paul to stop and let me down. Immediately, he stopped and lowered himself to the ground so that I could slide off.

Once I was standing on the ground, Paul stood on one side of me and Embry stood on the other side and they waited. The tingling sensation that flowed up and down my back became stronger. I also felt my heart rate decrease and a sudden calm took over my body.

It was time. There was a leech very close, and I was ready to face it.

"Don't howl to alert the others. If you do it will run and we won't catch it. When the leech comes into sight it will need to think that I am alone, so hide and don't come out until I say so."

Without hesitation Paul and Embry backed away from me and hid a couple of yards away among the trees. They made sure to be down wind so that their scent would not be detected.

I stood in the middle of the clearing and waited. Several emotions accosted me at once-hate, the need to protect, and the want to kill.

I felt a pull to my right, so I turned my head and watched as the demon from hell soundlessly materialized through the trees. I was stunned to see that this was not a Cullen or the unknown vampire from my dream. Instead, this monster didn't have the same beauty as the Cullen men did but was rather average looking. Nothing about his features stood out except that his eyes were crimson. He was muscular but average height. He had blond hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. He wore a light blue shirt that had dirt stains on it and a pair of dark blue jeans and no shoes.

As he slowly approached me, I noticed that his movements weren't graceful and fluid like the Cullens had been. Instead, he looked as if he was trying to make his way through quicksand. The color of his eyes also changed from crimson to charcoal within seconds.

The leech looked confused and a little startled. I was sure he wasn't used to his victims standing in the middle of the forest as they waited to be slaughtered. Normal humans screamed or attempted to get away, but instead I remained motionless and locked eyes with him.

I felt no fear. As a matter of fact I felt nothing. All of the emotions that flooded my body a moment ago vanished and in its wake there was nothing.

The leech smiled and said, "This was too easy. I was told that capturing you would prove to be very difficult. I was cautioned to not cross through this area if I cared to continue to exist."

I didn't flinch or show any type of reaction to what the vampire said. I continued to stare and wait. He smiled and took a couple more steps toward me and said, "Don't be brave on my account. If you would like to run and attempt to get away please do so now."

This vampire got off on the thrill of the hunt. He feed off of his "victims" fear. Not that a human could present much of a challenge to a vampire, but the blood had a better taste when it was mixed with adrenaline.

He wasn't going to get his wish today; I continued to stare at him blankly. This seemed to anger him, so instead of his continued taunts, within seconds there was no longer any distance between us and he gripped me by the shoulders. As the leech stared into my yellowed eyes he sneered. "This will hurt a lot."

Once there was a physical contact between us I could feel a churning power burst through my veins. This vampire was about to die, and the thought of this brought a smile to my face.

"Your right, this will hurt _you_ a lot."

I continued to stare into the bloodsuckers eyes. I reached up and grabbed one of his hands that gripped my shoulder. As I held on, he started to roar out in pain and fell to his knees. He attempted to look away from me. I let go of his hand and instead placed both my hands on either side of his face, so that he could not look away from me. I was overcome with pleasure at the agony and fear that contorted his face.

Once he started to shake and then go rigid I shoved him backward and watched as he crashed into the ground and shattered to pieces. I quickly pulled a lighter out of my pocket and set the bastard on fire.

"You can come out now."

Paul and Embry quickly emerged from their hiding place. Not a moment later we heard several howls coming from two different directions. Embry and Paul both began to growl as I slowly turned my head to see if I could sense which direction we should go. In the distance, we could hear the rustling of trees. There was another vampire coming but this time they were being chased by some of the wolves. I could hear the snarling and breaking of trees. It was obvious that there was a fight going on. Embry whined and lowered himself to the ground to indicate that I needed to climb on.

I was grateful that this wasn't my first time riding on a wolf through the forest. It was humiliating to admit that I was capable of killing vampires, but riding on a werewolf at top speed was making me sick. Trees quickly wiped past my face. It was struggle to keep from closing my eyes as I attempted not to focus on the flip-flop sensations that were bouncing around in my stomach. The closer we got to the sounds of the struggle the faster Embry ran. Suddenly, without any warning Embry came to an abrupt halt that I wasn't prepared for. I went flying through the air and landed roughly on the ground.

I was perplexed that I was able to quickly get up and hadn't suffered any injuries. Before my mind could register fully what was going on I was running through the trees. I could hear snarling and hissing just ahead of me, something told me to stop and I stood and waited. Moments later a female vampire with red hair flew past me. Directly on her heels were Jacob and Sam. Just as she was about to leap up into a tree, Embry came from the opposite direction, leapt into the air and crashed into her. As they both fell to the ground she was ripped apart by Embry, Sam, and Jacob. Once they were done, they backed away from her ripped up body and waited for me to set her on fire. Both vampires' ashes were collected and we went back to La Push.

Within an hour of getting back my eyes were back to normal and we were in a council meeting.

**Jacob POV**

This had been one hell of a night. I was grateful that we made it through without any of us getting hurt or killed. When Bella woke up and alerted me that there were vampires within the area my first instinct was to quickly send her to Harry's house to be protected with the other imprints. Nata's words quickly came crashing back to my mind that I had to let Bella walk the path that she was destined to. She was a Slayer and I had to let her be what she was created to be. I had to have faith that if she could sense a blood sucker's presence then she would be able to defend herself against them. I also knew that Bella would freak out, so I had to put her in a position where she would be more concerned about protecting those around her then herself. The pack also needed to respect her as a Slayer so as much as it pained me to do so, I assigned Paul and Embry to team up with her instead of keeping her at my side.

Aside from Sam and me, Paul was the strongest and Embry was the quickest in the pack. I made it clear to them that they were to protect Bella with their lives, but at the same time when they were with her they were under her command. Her reaction was exactly what I expected when I told her that she would be fighting along with the pack, but she submitted to my command and fought along side us.

Bella was fierce and deadly. She was the best hunter because her fragile appearance drew them in along with her scent. Once she made physical contact with them they only had seconds before they were turned to dust. It was a severe turn on to know that Bella was capable of destroying a blood sucker just as easily as the pack could. We were going to have to do some Slayer/Vamp role playing.

"Jacob Ephraim Black!"

I quickly turned my head toward my father and realized that I had no idea what he had been talking about. I was too wrapped up thinking about Bells.

"Yes?"

"We wanted to know your thoughts about why you weren't able to smell the vampires in the forest. Each one of you told the same story that suddenly they just appeared in front of you. Bella was the only one that actually sensed their presence."

Bella quickly squeezed my hand to get my attention. So before I answered Billy I looked at her. She whispered, "Could I answer that question please?"

I nodded my head and backed up a little so that she could speak.

"The vampire that I killed told me that he had been warned about me and that I would be a challenge to catch. I think the Cullens sent them here to attack us. The reason why they were undetected by the werewolves is because they were protected by Chase's shield. I remember when we were in the library he told me that he had a shield around us so no one could see or hear us. That's the only explanation that I can come up with."

Quil quickly stood up and said, "That makes sense. Colin and I were in the forest behind Forks High when out of nowhere, a leech with dreads was standing right in front of us. He looked surprised when he realized that we could see him. His surprise is what got him killed so quickly. We were able to pounce on him before he had a chance to think about attempting to get away. I've never fought a vamp before but it didn't make sense that he would just appear in front of us like that unless he had a death wish."

Quil was right, the way this whole situation went down just didn't seem right. "That's what happened with the red-headed leech. One moment we were running through the forest looking for trails and then bam! There she was just a few feet away from us. The leech was _fast._ Every time one of us got close enough to knock her down or bite her she managed to maneuver her way out of it.

"Once we heard the blood sucker holler that Bella was killing, the red head got distracted long enough for Sam to grab hold of her shirt and yank her down to the ground, but somehow she managed to get away again. Suddenly, we began to catch up with her and then when she attempted to leap for the tree, Embry was able to knock her down. Bella's presence affected her strength and slowed her down enough for us to catch her."

We now knew that we had to be prepared at all times. If Bella was right and the Cullens had a shield to keep them invisible until they were ready to attack, we could be seriously screwed.

_Two days later…_

**Mia POV**

It was time for this situation to come to an end. We learned a lot about Isabella Swan and her pack of mutts a couple of days ago. Isabella was not going to be easy to capture. We could get past her protectors by just using Edward and Chase's shields. The problem was once Isabella made physical contact with any of us, we would die.

Jane and Alec's powers were useless on her, because once she sensed that she was in danger her Slayer powers went into effect and she would render them powerless. Isabella Swan was _almost_ untouchable…

"No! That won't do anything but make her angry and want to seek revenge. How do you know that won't make her more powerful and lethal to us? We've been around her and so far she has not detected us. I believe it's because we have not posed a threat to her or her family. We need to find a way to come at her in a non-threatening way."

"Whose side are you on, Edward? What difference does it make if we kill a human? Isabella's world needs to be turned upside down. Hate can make a person become something that they could never imagine. Chase has a better chance claiming her as his mate with her in that frame of mind than the way she is now. If you do as I say then she will blame herself for not being there to stop it."

Edward turned away from me, and as he walked away he said, "It is your great idea. You do it!"

"Jane."

Edward immediately collapsed to the ground convulsing in pain.

I looked toward Jane and said, "Enough."

Jane stopped her torture and Edward slowly went still. I knelt on the ground and then straddled Edward's waist. Leaning forward until my elbows were resting on his chest I sneered, "You will do it because I said so. This will not end peacefully. You should thank me. I'm saving you from yourself once again."

I quickly got off of this sorry excuse for a vampire and snapped, "Go wake your son up. We have a human to change."

_Four hours later…_

**Renee POV**

I woke up this morning to the sun shining through my bedroom window onto my face. This caused me to smile because if there was sunshine then we didn't have to worry about vampires. Charlie was already gone by the time I woke up to get ready for work. I looked at the time and realized that it was time for me to go to work. I quickly picked up my work bag, purse, and keys and fled out the door.

I had the music turned up and was singing along to Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battle Field"

_You're making me to go, you're begging me stay  
Why do you hurt me so bad?  
It would help me to know  
Do I stand in your way, or am I the best thing you've had?  
Believe me, believe me, I can't tell you why  
But I'm trapped by your love, and I'm chained to your side_

_We are young, heartache to heartache we stand  
No promises, no demands love is a battlefield  
We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong  
Searching our hearts for so long, both of us knowing_

I never got to finish the song because standing in the middle of the road sparkling was Edward Cullen. I slammed on my breaks and swerved to avoid hitting him. I quickly wondered why I even bothered because he was dead anyway. I lost control of my car and ended up in a ditch. I was a little dazed, but knew that I had to hurry up and do something before he reached my car. I quickly picked up my cell phone to call Jacob when my door was ripped off and I was snatched out of the car and dragged into the forest. I heard Edward say, "Get rid of the car."

He dropped me to the ground. Even though I knew this day was coming, I was still scared. I didn't bother to attempt to get up. I slowly looked around and saw his son leaned up against a tree with his arms folded. Seeing him and thinking about how much pain he caused my daughter held my fear at bay and I rose to my feet. I walked toward him and said, "No matter what you attempt to do to me Bella will never want you, because you are nothing but a filthy bloodsucker."

Chase pushed off of the tree he had been leaning on and slowly walked toward me. He looked angry and barely in control. He grabbed me by the neck and raised me off the ground. "How does it feel to know that you are destined to die at the hands of your own daughter?"

"Put her down, Chase!"

Chase released me and once again I found myself crumbled on the ground. Before I could attempt to sit up I was knocked flat on my back and Edward was hovering over me. His eyes were black with anger and I cringed away from him with fear.

"I told you I'd be back to finish what we started."

I screamed as his teeth tore through the flesh on my neck and the fire began to race through my body.

**I don't know what to say except **_**please don't hate me! **_**At least you now know what Renee's fate was. I can't believe that March makes a year that I've been writing this story. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would have taken so long to finish this. Of course at the conception of this story all I knew was that Jacob would imprint on Bella at a very young age and that there would be a war. There are only a couple more chapters left. Maybe 4-5 possibly less. **

**Somehow I managed to post several of my chapters twice so once I fixed the problem it left me with fewer chapters. Unfortunately, that has screwed up the ability for some of you to review. If you attempt to leave me a review and it rejects it and says that you can't duplicate a review for this chapter please PM me or send me an email. I enjoy knowing what you think of this story.**

**Last but not least I would like to thank my husband for the term Gang Fanged. He heard it on the Jamie Foxx Show and he made a comment about Bella getting gang fanged during New Moon. Thanks Baby!**


	36. Chapter 36  Forced To Do My Job Pt One

_**A/N This chapter has been resubmitted March 18, 2011 with beta corrections.  
**_

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob POV**

_Same day Renee was taken_

All of La Push and Forks were in an uproar. The residents of Forks were horrified because the Chief of Police's wife was abducted in broad daylight on the way to work, and those that knew Renee in La Push were horrified because they knew the real reason for her disappearance.

My imprint was beside herself with grief, worry, and rage. The worst part was that Bella completely blamed herself for not keeping her mother protected. She knew that we depended on her to detect when the leeches were near. She'd been racking her brain for hours trying to figure out how they were able to take her mother without her sensing them sooner than she did.

Ever since the vampire attack a couple days ago, I made sure that wolves were paroling around the clock. It was difficult on everyone, but we had to make sure to keep La Push and Forks protected from any type of vampire threat.

Even though we needed all the werewolves on patrol, we decided against pulling Seth, Collin and Brady out of school. This was their last year of high school; they already had to give up so much of their lives for the sake of the tribe. The least we could do in return was let them get their diplomas. So they were only allowed to patrol Friday thru Sunday, day shifts only. This would give the rest of us a chance to catch up on our sleep-at least on the weekends.

It was a good thing that Sam, Jared and Paul had decided to hire more employees that weren't werewolves to work at the shop. It freed up some of us to do more patrol time. Today Paul and Quil were at the shop. Sam and Embry were sleeping for a couple of hours, and Jared and I were patrolling.

Even though I was against it, Bella took a leave of absence from her job. She said that working was a distraction. The vampires could come at anytime and she needed to be able to react quickly. She couldn't do that at work. There would be no way to explain her eyes turning yellow while she was in public, and I knew that she was right.

No one knew about the conversation that I had with Nata concerning Renee. I'd decided the least I could do was make sure that she was protected at all times. Then maybe we could stop whatever was going to happen to her. So there were always two wolves on patrol at night in Forks. In the morning one of the wolves followed Charlie to work while the other stayed behind until they were relieved by another wolf. The only time Renee was alone was during school hours, but as soon as the dismissal bell rang one of us was there to follow her home.

Charlie and Renee agreed that on days they didn't have work they would spend their time in La Push to give Bella more peace of mind. Unfortunately, all of our efforts proved to be in vein…

_7:00 AM_

I was in wolf form running through the trees of La Push looking for any signs of vampire activity. Jared was waiting for Renee to get in her car to drive to work. Fifteen minutes later, I watched as Jared ran hidden among the trees near the highway along side Renee as she drove to work.

She was singing some 80's song crap and Jared started snickering.

"_What's so funny?"_

"_Someone needs to tell her to make sure she doesn't quit her day job. Her singing sounds worse then when Quil chased his tail and Embry bit it to make him stop running around in a circle like an idiot. We made fun of Quil for days because he screamed like a drowning cat that was being electrocuted at the same time."_

_"Well at least she's doing it in the privacy of her own car."_

_"Yeah, at least we know not to invite her to any Karaoke….Hell?"_

I was suddenly flooded with terror that I knew came from Jared.

Jared was freaked out because Renee's car was gone. There was no way that she could have out drove Jared even if he was going his slowest pace. Just as quickly, I heard a howl coming from La Push. It was Embry. Bella was at his house hysterical and ranting about Embry taking her to Forks because something was wrong. He said her eyes were yellow and glowing very brightly.

_"Tell me what to do, Jacob! Bella is insisting that I take her to Forks. I have a feeling that if I don't do what she says soon she's going to beat the shit out of me."_

I was consumed with dread thinking about Bella's reaction when she found out her mother vanished into thin air.

_"Take her to where ever she feels she needs to go. The leeches have her mother, Embry."_

_"Awww…F**** man! How the hell did this happen?"_

_"Renee was driving to work, Jared was following her then her car just disappeared. Maybe Bells will be able to find the bloodsucker and we can get her mother back before something happens to her."_

I could feel the doubt that Embry felt about what I said. He lowered himself to the ground so that Bella could climb onto his back and they ran off into the forest.

The only thing they found was Renee's car abandoned in Port Angeles. One of the doors was missing, traces of her blood were on the airbag that had deployed and there was an overpowering stench of leech through out the car.

None of us understood why Bella didn't sense their presence before Renee disappeared. None of us was foolish enough to believe that they took Renee with the best of intentions.

_Three Days Later_

The pack was in a state of chaos. There was still no sign of Renee or any of the bloodsuckers. Bella was so consumed with rage that we couldn't get her to calm down enough for her eyes to change back to brown. She wasn't talking -except to herself- eating, or sleeping. She spent the past three days pacing back and forth mumbling to herself that it was her fault that Renee was missing. She wouldn't listen to anyone that tried to reason with her, and just about everyone except for Charlie and myself was too afraid to approach her.

She wouldn't look Charlie in the eye because she was so ashamed that she didn't do a better job of protecting her mother. I wanted to tell her so badly that there was nothing that she could have done to prevent this from happening. It was the path that Renee had to walk in order for Bella to reach her full potential. I knew that Bella was not in the right frame of mind to hear something like that.

Charlie and I were sitting on the couch watching Bella pace back and forth across the living room floor when we heard the doorbell rang. Charlie got up to answer the door. I didn't bother to look up; I already knew who it was by her scent.

Nata slowly walked into the room past Bella and stood by the couch next to me. She looked at me and said, "Has she been like this for three days?"

I slumped back into the couch and said, "Yes."

Nata sighed and flopped down on the couch next to me.

"This may do more harm than good, but I made a promise and I have to keep it."

Nata placed her hand in her jacket pocket and pulled out two white envelopes and handed them to me.

"What are these?"

"The day after Bella's last dream, Renee came to my house and gave me these. She told me if she disappeared and didn't return within three days to make sure to give you these letters to give to Bella and Charlie."

My hand began to shake as I looked at Bella's name written across the top of one of the envelopes. Without looking at Nata, I said, "What does this letter say?"

"I don't know, she didn't tell me."

"I'm not giving it to her."

"I promised Renee that I would make sure that she got the letter. Please don't make me go over your head."

My shaking increased slightly and I attempted to breathe slowly. Without looking in Nata's direction I hissed, "What are you trying to do kill my imprint? _Look at her_. She's in no condition to get anymore bad news. We don't know what that letter says."

My Alpha voice didn't seem to intimidate Nata at all. "Jacob, we've talked about this already. You have to allow Bella to walk into her destiny whatever that may be. There is a difference between protecting and cradling. Bella needs your strength right now and your ability to make the hard choices that she may think she is unable to make herself."

I had a feeling that there would be hell to pay if I gave Bella this letter. I could feel it in the depths of my soul. She would know that I knew this was coming. I was scared that she wouldn't be able to forgive me. I knew that Nata was right. I had no choice but to give her the letter. I thanked Nata for carrying out Renee's wishes and she got up and left.

Once Charlie had opened the door to let Nata in he had went into my old bedroom to rest. I quietly knocked on the door and waited for him to say it was okay to come in.

I opened the door and felt a lump in my throat. It was heartbreaking to see Charlie so upset and worried. He was trying his hardest to stay strong for Bella's sake, but I could see that he was a hair away from cracking himself. I didn't know what would have been better for him. To just think that she was taken by some random kidnapper or knowing the truth that by now she was nothing but a bloodless corpse tossed away somewhere.

I walked toward the bed that he was lying on and said, "Nata came by to drop this off for you. It's a letter from Renee that she wrote a couple of days after Bella's last dream."

Charlie's eyebrows came together in confusion as he slowly began to process what I had just said. He raised his hand toward me to reach for the letter. Once the letter was in his hand his bottom lip began to tremble. Whatever strength he had left crumbled and Charlie sobbed. He brokenly said, "She knew. Renee knew that this was going to happen. I should have known that something was wrong. Renee hadn't been herself for weeks, but every time I asked her what was wrong she told me it was nothing."

I didn't know what to say. I slowly began to back out of the room. Just before I closed the door I said, "Yeah, she knew this was going to happen. I hope the letter she's written to you will bring you some peace."

I walked back into the living room where Bella was still pacing back and forth. I stood in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. As Bella raised her head up toward my face she whispered, "Let me go, Jacob. I don't want to eat and I'm not sleeping until my mother is found."

"Nata just dropped off a letter for you that your mother wrote."

Bella stared at me with blank yellow eyes. I could tell that she didn't get what I was saying.

"Your mother went to Nata a few days after your last dream and gave her a letter that she instructed to give to you if she ever disappeared and wasn't found within three days."

Bella squirmed out of my hands and said, "Give me the letter."

I pulled it out of my back pocket and handed it to her. Bella ripped the letter open and greedily read the words that her mother wrote for her.

I stood still and waited. Bella's heart rate suddenly increased. When she looked up at me her eyes were no longer yellow but in their place staring back at me was a look of utter horror and pain.

She dropped the letter like the page burned her fingers and she slowly began to back away from me.

She whispered, "Did you know?"

I didn't want to answer that question. How could I tell Bella that I knew her mother was going to die?

"Yes. I didn't know the specifics but I knew that something was going to happen to your mother."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you."

"You knew that a bunch of filthy bloodsuckers were going to come and take my mother away and you chose not to tell me because it wasn't your place? I gave you my life and with that my trust and you kept something like this away from me?"

I reached toward Bella as I said, "Bella, you have to understand…"

"No! You betrayed me. I've been tormenting myself for three days over my mother's disappearance. Blaming myself for not being experienced or alert enough when all along it was your fault, because you chose to believe that it wasn't your place to tell me."

Bella's words were cutting deeper than any knife could. There was nothing worse than an imprint saying that their trust had been betrayed. I fell to my knees in front of Bella and pleaded, "Bells, you have to believe me. If I had a choice I would have told you. You know that. I would do anything for you to keep any type of pain away from you. I love your parents like they are my own. There is nothing that any of us could have done to prevent what happened to her. It was her fate."

Bella turned away from me and stormed toward the front door. I quickly caught up to her and spun her around. "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere that you are not."

She snatched away from me and fled out the door. I didn't attempt to follow her. For several minutes my mind was numb. Bella was gone and my heart was slowly unraveling.

_Twenty Minutes Later_

I faintly heard someone opening the front door, so I turned my head in that direction to see if Bella had came back. Once I realized it was only Embry I allowed my eyes to glaze over once again and stare at nothing.

"Yo, man, what's up with Bella? She's at my house crying her eyes out in my living room with Angela."

"She left me, Embry."

"What do you mean she left you?"

"My imprint doesn't trust me anymore. She blames me for her mother's death."

"Nobody knows exactly what happened to Renee. How could Bella blame you for that?"

I extended my arm out toward the floor and pointed. "Read that and you will know why Bella is gone."

Embry walked toward the piece of paper that was on the floor, picked it up, and read it.

He slowly shook his head. "Shit, man, this is some messed up stuff. How did Renee know this was going to happen?"

"I don't know."

"Have you read this?"

"No."

Embry didn't say anything else. He walked me over to the couch and pushed me backward so I would fall back onto the couch and pushed the letter into my hands.

"Jacob, you seriously need to read this."

What I wanted to do was die. If I didn't have Bella then I had nothing. I knew that Embry would not let up until I read the damn letter, so I forced myself to focus enough to read the last words Renee had for her daughter.

_My dearest and only daughter,_

_If you are reading this letter then that means that the path chosen for me has not changed. I need you to know that I love you very much and I have always been willing to do whatever it took to keep you safe. Last time it meant giving up Charlie for a while, but this time it will mean my life._

_I can't go into detail as to why this has happened, but sometimes to win the war a few have to die. If you are reading this letter then that means three days have gone by. You need to know that if I resurface **after** you read this letter then I've become your enemy and you must do what is best for mankind and dispose of me._

_Tell Jacob that I am so sorry that he had to keep this a secret from you. Let him know that I trust that he will keep you safe. I love you, Bella. _

_Love always,_

_Renee._

I felt the sudden need to throw-up. Renee was now a bloodsucker. I quickly got off the couch and raced to the bathroom. I barely made it before all of the contents of my lunch from earlier came back up and went into the toilet.

_The next morning_

Embry stayed with me until almost midnight. He wanted to give Angela and Nata a chance to talk to Bella and possibly give her the comfort she needed. Not soon after Bella arrived at Embry's the rest of the imprints also went over there to offer her some support.

I had just gotten off the phone with Leah. She called to let me know that Bella was on her way home. Before I could feel any type of relief, she informed me that nothing had changed. Bella was still upset with me, and the only reason why she was coming home was because she knew Billy and Charlie needed her.

I slammed the phone down on the hook so hard that the receiver cracked in half. "What the hell? Billy and Charlie are not the only ones that need her! She needs to want to come home because _I_ need her!" Billy and Charlie were in the kitchen and they both jumped at my sudden outburst. Billy wheeled toward me and said, "Son, what's going on? Is Bella on her way home?"

"Yes, she's decided to come home but she's still mad at me."

"Jacob, she's your imprint. She won't be able to stay mad at you long. It's physically impossible."

Just then the front door opened and we all watched as Bella walked through the door. A variety of emotions coursed through my veins at one time- sadness, anger, fear, doubt, and the need to make her want and need me again.

She looked horrible. Her hair was wild and tangled; her eyes were once again yellow and heavy with dark circles underneath. Her face was swollen from so much crying, and she was twitching and shaking. I went to move forward but Charlie grabbed my arm. I almost yanked away but caught the look he gave me. He wanted a chance to try and help his daughter.

The wolf in me wanted to grab Bella and run off with her and force her to forgive me, but the human side of me knew that for now there was something much bigger going on that needed to be dealt with beside my need for Bella's love.

I quickly nodded and Charlie moved forward.

"Bella, sweetheart, what's going on? Are you sick, do you need us to take you to the hospital?"

Bella wouldn't raise her head to look Charlie in the eye when she answered. "No, I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine, just tired. I'm going to go to sleep now."

As Bella walked pass me she said, "Nothing has changed. I still can't stand to look at you. Stay out of my way."

I felt how Sam did when he thought Leah was going to refuse the imprint. I wanted to run to the cliffs and hurl myself off the edge onto the jagged rocks below. I had to get out of here and quick before I phased in this house and killed somebody.

"Jacob, wait!"

I turned toward my dad and roared, "What!"

"Bella doesn't mean it. Her love for you can't be reversed. The imprint won't let her. Her body is already reacting to not having contact with you. The shaking and twitching won't stop until she gives in to her need for you. Just give her some time."

I started to growl before I said, "I don't want Bella to forgive me because of the imprint. I want her to forgive me because she loves me!"

I didn't wait to hear his response before I ran out the door and into the woods where I completely let the wolf inside of me take control.

**Yikes! Wolfie Jacob is not a nice Jacob. When the imprintee (Bella) doesn't have physical contact with their imprint they suffer physically by getting the shakes and ticking like a crack addict which is also accompanied by intense pain. **

**The wolf who imprinted will suffer serious bouts of depression and random episodes of anger. When the wolf happens to be the Alpha (Jacob) it would be in your best interest not to **_**piss**_** him off.**

**So…what do you think? Do you want to choke Bella or cut her some slack because she just found out her mother is a vampire?**

**The plan is to have a chapter posted every Friday until the story is done. The next chapter will be 20 plus pages. Hopefully this will be the last chapter that will have review issues. That whole situation sucks because I'm almost at the 700 mark but haven't passed it because it's rejecting people's reviews. If you try to leave a review and it rejects it please PM me. I like to know what everyone thinks!**

**I have a couple of stories that I would like to recommend: "**_**My Pefect Dom"**_** by ShavehC. If you are into a very dominant style Jacob this is the perfect story for you, also please read **_**"Bella's Name"**_** by Aspirations of Whimsy. I won't tell you what it's about. You will have to go there for yourself. **

**Thanks for your reviews, pm's, and story alerts!**

**Thank you DreaC for helping with this chapter. Your my homechick!  
**


	37. Chapter 37 Forced To Do My Job pt 2

_**This chapter was re-posted with Beta corrections March 24, 2011**__**  
**_

**Nata POV**

_The same day Nata gave Jacob Renee's letter_

I knew it would just be a matter of time before Bella would make her way over to my home. I'd expected her to burst through my front door and demand to know why I'd kept such important knowledge about her mother a secret.

I wasn't prepared for the Bella I witnessed when I opened the front door. This young girl was emotionally broken, and it sent chills down my spine. I had to wonder if the bloodsuckers had won and pushed Bella over the edge.

Her eyes weren't yellow anymore but they were almost closed shut due to the intense crying she was doing. She looked so fragile and lost. Bella stumbled over the threshold and flung herself into my arms and continued to cry. She attempted to speak, but she couldn't catch her breath long enough to push the words out of her mouth. I held her as tightly as I could and whispered assurances into her ear.

My son and Angela came into the room and demanded to know what was going on. Angela rushed over to where we were. I gently pried Bella's hands from around my body, and Angela gently took Bella into her arms. They slowly slid to the floor and Bella continued to cry as Angela rocked her back and forth.

Embry looked at me and then at Angela and Bella.

"Does Jacob know that Bella is here crying on our floor?"

"I don't know, Embry. Why don't you go over there and see what's going on."

Embry quickly left the house and I called Leah, Rachel, and Kim and asked them to come over.

Bella cried for over three hours before she composed herself enough to talk. There weren't words to describe how any of us felt when Bella told us what the letter Renee wrote to her said. Renee was now Bella's enemy, and eventually she would have to face Renee and kill her.

After a while, Leah asked Bella what Jacob thought about the letter and that was when the fireworks began. Bella stood up and almost immediately her eyes turned yellow again. She gritted her teeth and said, "Jacob knew something was going to happen to my mother, and he choose not to tell me. He let me wander around for days blaming myself when he knew that this was going to happen."

Rachel shook her head and frowned. "That doesn't sound like my brother. There's no way he would keep something like this from you. You're his wife and he loves you more than anything else. He would have sacrificed himself to keep your mother safe."

Bella leaned against the wall by the window facing our front yard and said, "Well, I guess you don't know your brother as well as you thought you did, because he's still alive and my mother is a blood thirsty leech."

Rachel sucked in a breath. She'd never witnessed Bella be so cruel and to hear her say something like that about Jacob was very unsettling. Angela walked over to Bella and lightly touched her on the shoulder and said, "You don't mean that. If Jacob knew something was going to happen to your mother and he didn't tell you he had to have had a good reason not to."

Bella moved away from Angela and said, "Yeah, he had a reason for not telling me. Apparently it was my mother's fate to die. It wasn't his place to tell me."

There was silence for several minutes before I said, "Bella, do you remember the last time you and Jacob came over to have your dream interpreted and Jacob stayed behind?"

She slowly nodded.

"Well, Jacob suspected that I had only interpreted a portion of your dream and he was correct. There was a part that I couldn't tell you that involved your mother. Jacob wanted to tell you, but I told him that he could not.

"Your husband is the Alpha. Yes, you are his main priority, but you are not his only priority. When he makes decisions, he has to take into account how it will affect everyone as a whole. Telling you would not have changed anything. Renee still would be gone no matter what. If he had interfered by telling you then more than just your mother would have suffered the same fate."

Bella slid against the wall until her bottom hit the floor. She asked in a weak voice, "How long had my mother known that she was going to be a vampire?"

"Since the day your mother found you in the woods during the storm."

Once again Bella began to cry. We continued to comfort Bella through the night. She talked and we listened. We talked to her and she listened. By morning she was ready to go back home. Once Bella left I turned to Leah and said, "Call Jacob and let him know that Bella is on her way home. Make sure that he knows that nothing has changed. Bella is still angry with him. The only reason she is coming back is for Charlie and Billy."

As Leah picked up the phone she sighed and shook her head in disgust.

**Edward POV**

_Five days after Renee's transformation is complete_

Mia picked up a chair and threw it across the room where it crashed into the wall and shattered to pieces.

"She's a newborn! They don't have control. If we were to let her loose in Seattle, she should want to kill every human in sight!"

"Mia, has it occurred to you that maybe Renee's gift is that she can control her bloodlust?"

My question did not please Mia, so she continued to destroy more furniture and yelled, "Jane, do it again! This time don't hold back!"

Almost immediately, I heard tortured screams coming from the other room.

I sighed and said, "Mia, you're wasting your time. Your torture is not working on her. If gutting a human in front of Renee doesn't cause her to loose control I doubt setting her mind on fire will change anything either. Give me a chance to talk to her. I think I know what she needs to hear to get her to do what you want."

Mia stared at me for a while. I could tell that she had already made up her mind to let me talk to Renee. She just wanted Renee to suffer a little bit longer.

"Fine, you have an hour to change her mind. I don't see how much good you can do, considering she tried to rip your head off the moment she finished her transformation."

I walked into the room and found Jane, Alec, and Chase standing in the corner staring at Renee with enjoyment in their eyes. I expected as much from Jane and Alec but it bothered me that Chase was also getting off at watching another vampire in so much pain.

From the next room Mia said, "That's enough. She's Edward's problem now. They can be alone while we go hunt."

Once Renee and I were completely alone, she sprang up from the ground and landed in a crouched position. I could hear a low growl rumbling from her chest. I hated to admit it but she was incredibly beautiful as a vampire.

The paleness of her skin brought out the auburn highlights in her slightly wavy, shoulder length hair. I found myself wanting to run my fingers through it, but it was her eyes that had me hooked and wanting her. Everything anyone needed to know about her was expressed through her eyes. It was why Mia was so upset. Renee hadn't said a word since she finished the transformation, but her eyes were an open window to her soul and they plainly told Mia to F*** off. She would not be a part of any plan we had to bring Chase and Bella together.

Renee's behavior was unusual. She hadn't shown any indication that she suffered from bloodlust. We had several humans on stand-by for when she joined us in this world. The first human was placed in the room with her, and she never once acknowledged their presence.

She stood in the corner with her back to the young frightened girl that pleaded for her life. Even when Mia came into the room and slit the young girl's wrists Renee didn't move an inch. She stayed as still as a statue. Mia forced Renee to turn around to see the blood as it dripped from her victim's wrists but Renee stared blankly at the blood and didn't move.

What puzzled us all was that Renee wasn't holding her breath. She was taking in the scent of the blood but she had no reaction to it. Mia got very creative with various ways to slice humans open in front of Renee but none of it affected her. She continued to stand and stare with emotionless crimson eyes.

The only time she came to life was when she saw me for the first time after the change. Without warning, she sprang and attacked me. She had my arm halfway ripped off before Jane intervened.

"You could kill me now, but that won't keep your daughter from being slaughtered with the rest of La Push and Forks. Come take a walk with me. I have a couple of things to discuss with you. Mia has given me an hour to get you to see things her way. If you decide you don't like what you've heard then you are more than welcome to finish what you started a few days ago."

Renee stood and walked past me out the door. I caught up with her and we went into the woods that were behind the abandoned cabin that we'd been staying in.

"I won't be the cause of my daughter loosing her mind."

"So you think if you anger Mia and don't feed off of any humans that will make a difference? As much as your daughter may have loved you she won't be able to love the creature you have become. It won't make a difference to her that you've abstained from human blood. You are dead to Isabella Swan now."

"Black."

"Excuse me?"

Renee huffed and gritted through her teeth, "She is married now. Her last name is no longer Swan it is Black."

"So she married the mutt. Chase won't like that information too much."

Renee turned and grabbed me by my throat and flung me through the air. I crashed into a nearby tree and fell to the ground.

"Don't talk to me about that spawn of the devil you created!"

I quickly got up, brushed off my clothes and said, "If I were Mia, I would have you on the first plane back to Volterra because you are highly gifted. Once we are turned our human memories become fuzzy and after a while we mostly forget but with you it's like nothing has changed. Aro would love to have a vampire with your talents as part of the Volturi Guard. There is so much you don't know about yourself and this world…"

"I don't want to know about the monster I've become."

"If you want this war to end in Isabella's favor then you'd better be willing to hear what I have to say. I'm your last hope."

Renee stalked toward me. When we were barely an inch apart she yelled, "I can't wait to see the wolves tear you apart piece by piece!"

I chuckled slightly. "Sorry, if that were to happen you would have already been killed by your daughter."

The fire that had burned through Renee's eyes extinguished and clouded over with grief.

"Look, Renee, I'm going to say this and be done. The only reason why Mia wanted you to feed off human blood was so that you'd have an uncontrollable desire for it. Therefore, once you were in Isabella's presence your bloodlust would take over and your daughter would have no option but to kill you.

"You were taught as a human that vampires were monsters that had no real emotions. Now that you are one yourself, you can see that wasn't true. You love Isabella more now than you did as a human. If you were to go to her right now, she would see it and feel it. That would make what she is supposed to do even more painful than it already has be.

"If you love your daughter more than anything else in this world, then prove it. Give her the reason she needs to kill you."

This time when Mia came back with a human for Renee there was no fight or hesitation, she was humane about it though. She knocked her victim out first before she drained them of their blood.

**Charlie POV**

_Seven days after the letters were read_

My wife was a vampire, my daughter was a vampire killer, and my son-in-law was a werewolf that killed vampires. Sometimes I wondered if I'd been shot in the line of duty and was in a coma, and this life I was currently living wasn't my real one but a dream induced one instead.

My life was in shambles and it nearly killed me to see the hurt that I watched my only daughter go through day after day. She was like a walking zombie. She made sure that Billy and I had food and anything else we needed, but Bella did only enough to keep herself alive. She wouldn't go any further than that.

She still refused to speak to Jacob, and if either Billy or I tried to bring his name up, she would fly into a rage that had already caused the demise of the living room TV.

Jacob was just as stubborn. He's been staying with Paul and Rachel. It was an Alpha command that unless Bella's life was in danger her name was not to be brought up in his presence. If they were on patrol, none of the wolves were allowed to even think about her. Each day that went by that Bella did not go to Jacob and end this mess between them caused the anger in him to increase a hundred fold.

For the normal werewolf this would be dangerous, but for the Alpha, it was perfect for war. Right now, the wolf part of Jacob was in full control which meant he was guided by pure instinct, so emotions couldn't cause him to make wrong choices. His command about Bella was actually for the good of the pack. It helped them to stay focused on what was really important at the moment. Sometimes I wondered if Bella was doing this on purpose but quickly rejected that idea. The amount of pain that Bella went through would have killed her if it wasn't for her slayer powers.

She hid it pretty well during the day when people were around to watch her. The only indication that you could see of her imprint withdrawals was the shaking and twitching, but in the middle of the night when she thought Billy and I were sleeping we could hear her in the woods as she screamed out in pain.

Things couldn't continue to go on like this.

Billy had just left with Harry to go and spend some time with Jacob. It was his day off from parole and Billy wanted to go and try and talk some sense into him to get him to come home.

Sam and Quil were outside paroling around Billy's house. They weren't allowed to come inside because Jacob gave orders that until Bella came to her senses none of the werewolves were allowed to spend time with her. No one argued with him about that, because they knew it was the wolf part of him being territorial about his imprint.

Bella hit the roof when she found out that none of the pack was allowed to socialize with her. It was the one and only time that she broke down and called Jacob. He didn't answer his cell phone, so she left a not so nice message for him and waited for him to call her back. He never did. Instead, he added to the command. Not only were the werewolves not allowed to visit Bella, but also their imprints were not allowed to visit her either. He claimed that her behavior was irrational and she was unstable and could be a danger to humans.

He tried to include Billy and myself but we put our foot down. There was no way Jacob could make me leave my daughter here alone, and he knew that we knew his last command was a way to punish Bella for hurting and disrespecting him as the Alpha. The wolf part of him was attempting to make her submit and give control back to him. Billy lit into him real good and reminded him that Bella was just as stubborn as he was, so until she was ready to forgive him there was nothing he could do to force her.

I was currently sitting on the couch watching my big screen TV that a couple of the pack members brought over from my house to replace the one Bella broke. Bella was in the kitchen sitting at the dining room table shaking and staring at the wall. Suddenly, I heard her quickly stand up. The chair she had been sitting on crashed to the floor.

I turned in her direction and stood.

"What is it, Bells?"

She didn't answer me right away. She looked from left to right as she began to walk toward me. Her eyes were the brightest yellow I'd ever seen them. She didn't look haggard and tired like she'd just looked a moment ago and she wasn't shaking or twitching. Instead, she looked calm and rested.

I knew without her telling me that the time had finally come. Renee was back.

**Edward POV**

"This is the perfect time. Jacob Black is in his human form and distracted with his father at the moment. Isabella is alone in the house with Charlie Swan. Edward, you will bring Renee into the house along with your shield. Chase, we will be in the forest and you will also have your shield up to insure that we are not detected before someone or something in that house dies."

Chase frowned. "If Edward has his shield up then we won't be able to see what's going on." Chase looked at Renee and sneered, "I want to see Isabella kill you."

Mia impatiently said, "There are werewolves guarding the property. If Edward opens the shield up past the house then they will know that we are there."

Chase shrugged his shoulders. "So kill them."

Mia turned toward me and yelled, "Would you please explain to your idiot son why we can't kill the werewolves!"

"If we approach with the intent to kill the werewolves Isabella will know and her slayer instincts will take over. We'll all be dead within the hour. Please do as Mia says and don't ask anymore questions."

Renee went back to not talking after our conversation in the forest. She knew what was expected of her and gave no indication that she wouldn't follow the _plan._

We entered the house and saw Isabella sitting at the dining room table staring at nothing. She looked horrible. She'd lost weight, there were dark purplish bags under her dull yellow eyes and her hair was a greasy mess pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.

Charlie Swan didn't look much better. He was paler then the last time I saw him. He'd also lost some weight and even though he was looking at the TV screen he wasn't watching it.

Renee whispered, "Please, Edward, I can't do this. Their last memory of me can't be of me as this monster."

I understood the pain that Renee was feeling but if she didn't follow through with this, Mia would go on a war path, and Isabella would see a lot more than just her mother's new true nature.

"If I let my shield down the wolves will know I'm here and they will attack. Have you noticed that Bella hasn't realized that we are here? She will be taken off guard. Before she can do anything, I will have snapped Charlie's neck in front of her. What do you think would happen to her if she lost both her parents because she was unable to protect them? Do what you were instructed to do and do it now!"

Renee left my side and stood next to Charlie. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, they were no longer crimson but instead were the color of charcoal. I smiled at her and said, "Good girl."

At the same moment, Isabella quickly jumped out of her chair and began to look around the room. I was amazed at the sudden transformation that she went through. She no longer looked tired but instead she looked alert and ready to fight.

She calmly walked toward Charlie but before she could reach him, I opened up the shield to allow Renee to be seen.

Isabella sucked in a breath and came to a halt. Renee was standing directly behind Charlie. One swift movement and he was dead and Isabella knew it. She locked eyes with Renee for a moment before she finally said, "You're wrong. If you were to bite him, I wouldn't hesitate to finish the job. You and I both know Charlie would rather die than be a blood sucking leech."

Isabella looked toward Charlie and she calmly reached her hand toward him and said, "Dad, don't turn around. Slowly walk toward me and don't stop until you are behind me. Once you are behind me close your eyes and keep your back to me. Don't open them until I tell you to."

Charlie slowly walked toward his daughter. Isabella never took her eyes off of Renee. I could feel myself weakening slightly, so I knew that this would end very quickly if just standing in her presence was enough to weaken our powers.

I wondered how far Renee was going to let Charlie walk before she made her move. There was no way she would let him get past Bella. He was the only thing stopping Isabella from attacking.

Just before Charlie was close enough to touch Bella's hand Renee rushed Charlie from behind, wrapped her arms around his waist and yanked him toward her chest.

"Just where do you think your going? I've missed you sweet heart. I've come back so that we could be one big happy family again."

There's nothing that a human can do that could exceed our speed but Isabella Swan was no ordinary human. Faster than I could blink, Isabella ran toward Renee and Charlie. She grabbed Renee's arms, yanked, and without any resistance Renee's arms detached from her body.

Just as quickly, Isabella snatched her father by his shirt and pulled him away from Renee. She then focused her full attention on the vampire that was once her loving and caring mother.

She pushed Renee to the ground and quickly straddled her waist and as she placed her hands around her mother's neck she began to cry as she said, "Thank you for making this easier for me." Isabella ripped Renee's head from her body and flung it across the room.

This was my cue to leave. I could feel myself losing my strength, but I also realized this could be my opportunity to end the mess that was my life. I couldn't get past the thought that I was the cause of another child losing their parent because of the bad choices that I'd made. I quickly thought about my son and realized that it was a mistake to bring him back. He was a monster and had deserved to die at the hands of Jacob Black.

I didn't want to be around to watch him continue to walk down the dark path he'd chosen and I didn't want to witness Isabella Swan be forced to follow him down that same path. A sudden peace fell over me once I made my final decision.

I dropped my shield and quickly said, "Take my son and get out of here. This ends for me today."

I wondered if they moved my son away quickly enough before Isabella realized they were there and killed them. The Slayer Isabella Swan-Black locked eyes with me and smiled as I exploded into a million pieces.

_**Slayers are not vampire mind-readers but their instincts allow them to know what vampires' intentions are. That is how Isabella is able to know when a vampire is dangerous or not. The more focused she is the stronger the instinct becomes.**_

**This chapter was difficult to write. I just couldn't make Renee a horrible blood thirsty monster. We will find out soon if sacrificing her life will help Bella become a stronger slayer or if it will push her into Chase's arms.**

**I have a question…Something has been going on the past couple of chapters. Does anyone know that that is?**

**Thanks for the reviews and story alerts. Most of you understand Bella's anger toward Jacob and believe you would have reacted the same way. That was interesting to know.**


	38. Chapter 38 Crossroads Part One

**_Re-posted with Beta corrections April 1, 2011_**

_I hope that your hate for me will not be permanent once you finish this chapter..._

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Charlie POV**

Once I realized that Renee must be near it felt like everything began to move in slow motion…

Bella began to walk toward me but abruptly stopped and looked shocked at something behind me. I did not have to turn around to know what she had seen. I felt the hairs as they stood up on the back of my neck as a sudden chill raced throughout my body. It felt like my heart was beating so fast it was going to leap right out my chest.

Bella stood motionless for a few moments. Her expression quickly changed from shock to focused determination. She spoke to whatever was behind me and said, "You're wrong. If you were to bite him, I wouldn't hesitate to finish the job. You and I both know Charlie would rather die than be a blood sucking leech."

The monster that used to be my wife had not said a word, so I didn't understand what Bella was talking about, but the realization that there was a possibility that I was in danger of becoming a vampire caused me to be overwhelmed with light-headedness.

Bella looked toward me and calmly reached her hand out and said, "Dad, don't turn around. Slowly walk toward me and do not stop until you are behind me. Once you are behind me close your eyes and keep your back to me. Don't open them until I tell you to."

For a moment, I didn't think I would be able to do as Bella asked. My legs felt like two blocks of cement. Fright consumed every muscle in my body. Somehow, I managed to move forward. I slowly moved one leg in front of the other and as I moved further away from Renee, I found myself breathing a little easier.

I felt somewhat safe because Bella never took her eyes off the monster that was a threat to me. Just before I was close enough to touch Bella's hand, something cold and hard grabbed me and pulled me into a cement wall.

I nearly peed my pants when I heard the shadow of the voice that used to be my wife say, "Just where do you think you're going? I've missed you sweet heart. I've come back so that we could be one big happy family again."

I silently prayed that death would come quickly for me. I was thankful that I hadn't turned around. I did not want to see the monster that my Renee had become. Quicker than I could think about blinking Bella ran toward us. She grabbed the ice-cold marble arms that were gripping me like a vice and yanked. It sounded like parts of a building crumbling and without any resistance Renee's arms were no longer around my body.

Just as quickly, Bella snatched me by my shirt and pulled me away from Renee. The momentum sent me flying across the room, and I landed partly on my knees and stomach. I quickly got up and turned around to make sure Bella was okay. I contemplated running outside and attempting to find Sam and Quil but was too afraid of what may be waiting for us outside of the house.

I watched as my daughter pushed her vampire mother on the ground and quickly sat on top of her. Fear for Bella's safety kept me from being able to comprehend what she was saying to Renee. The next thing I saw was Bella place her hands around Renee's neck, and she ripped the vampire's head from her body and threw it across the room in the opposite direction of me.

I hollered and scrambled as quickly as I could toward the wall when one of the Cullens suddenly appeared a few feet in front of Bella. I heard him say, "Take my son and get out of here. This ends for me today."

There was no hesitation when Bella looked at this creature, smiled and he exploded into a million pieces.

**Sam POV**

Quil was hungry and bored. I didn't like to be paired with Quil because all he did was complain about how much he hated patrolling around Jacob's house, because we weren't allowed to go inside and hang out with Bella. He didn't like that we had to stay outside and make sure that nothing got in. Quil wished that Jacob and Bella would stop being so stubborn and make up. I had to agree, because Jake was really becoming a pain in the ass and listening to Bella's screams of agony at night was becoming unbearable.

_"Take my son and get out of here. This ends for me today." _

What the hell? That wasn't Bella or Charlie.

I turned toward Quil as he looked at me and we both yelled out, "Bloodsucker!"

Almost simultaneously, a loud explosion came from inside the house. The force of the blast was so powerful that it caused the windows to explode, and knocked Quil and I back a few feet.

Just as we were getting up to run into the house, Jacob burst through the woods looking wild and frightened.

He roared, "Where's Bella and Charlie? What the hell happened?"

I walked toward Jacob and said, "We don't know, Jacob. We were patrolling around the house when suddenly we heard a leech inside. Right after that there was an explosion."

Jacob didn't stay back to ask any more questions. He ran toward the house and flew up the steps and through the front door.

Jacob had stopped just as he reached the entrance. Quil and I had to squeeze past him to see what was going on. There were no words to describe what the inside of the house looked like. It didn't make sense. Every window in the living room and kitchen was busted out, but nothing was damaged on the inside except for the zillions of vampire pieces that were all over the floor.

Bella stood in the middle of the living room with her fists clutched down at her sides. She was shaking, her eyes were a low simmering yellow, she had her lips pressed tightly together like she was attempting to prevent herself from speaking and she had her gaze locked on Jacob.

Jacob stood in the doorway staring at Bella with unrestrained anger and lust. Charlie was hovering in the corner clutching his chest and attempting to catch his breath. I instructed Quil to go check on Charlie, and I would keep an eye on Bella and Jacob.

Jacob slowly moved away from the doorway and stalked toward Bella. She raised her chin slightly in defiance and the yellow in her eyes intensified. She took a few shaky steps back and in a voice laced with pain she said, "Don't come any closer."

Jacob's eyes had also turned yellow. I began to feel a little nervous because Jacob's wolf was in control right now and he was angry. Jacob's imprint was not Bella right now but she was an angry, slightly crazed Slayer that was attempting to fight through an enormous amount of pain that she'd been suffering with for days. A confrontation between them right now would not turn out well.

I knew better than to try to interfere, but there was no way that Charlie could be a witness to this. I didn't know how far Jacob was going to try to push Bella to submit to his Alpha authority. Charlie wouldn't understand the dynamics behind it, and I'm sure he would attempt to protect his daughter.

"Quil, take Charlie to Harry's so Sue can take a look at him."

When Quil looked toward me in confusion, I quickly looked toward Jacob and Bella. He immediately understood why I wanted to get Charlie out of the house, so he quickly helped Charlie stand to his feet and he walked him out the door. I took my keys out of my pocket, threw them to Quil, and said, "I'll call you and let you know when to come back for me."

Quil didn't say anything but instead just nodded his head to let me know he understood to not let Charlie come back until I told him it was okay.

When Bella had told Jacob not come closer, he did stop. I attempted to defuse the situation by stepping between them and saying, "You guys can't do this right now. Jacob, Bella and her father just got attacked by vampires. She's in no condition to try and work things out between the two of you."

Jacob turned toward me and the look he gave caused me to take a step back. He was giving me a warning not to interfere with the wolf interacting with its mate. I didn't want to push my luck because if he gave me a verbal Alpha command to leave then I wouldn't be around to save them from themselves.

Jacob once again began to walk toward Bella but this time he walked at a slower pace. Bella was brave. She didn't flinch or cower away from him. Instead, she stood up straighter and watched him approach her.

Jacob began to walk around her slowly; it was a difficult thing to watch because of the raw desire that burned through Jacob's eyes. It had been days since he'd last seen Bella and he was taking in her appearance like a starved man that hadn't eaten in days.

Jacob stopped directly in front of Bella and continued to stare into her eyes. He slowly raised his right hand toward her face. Bella closed her eyes and whispered, "I said don't touch me."

A deep, angry growl erupted from Jacob's chest and he said through clinched teeth, "You dare deny your wolf? _You _gave yourself to me. Now you think you have the right to stop me from touching you when I want to?"

Bella's shaking increased and she collapsed to her knees and clutched her stomach as if she was attempting to hold herself together. This scared the hell out of me. I didn't know what was happening to her, so I started to reach for her.

Jacob snapped, "Stay out of this, Sam."

Bella had her head lowered to the ground and she whispered brokenly, "Look around you great and mighty Alpha. Some of the vampire bits that you see laying around are my mother, and the rest are those of the vampire that took my human mother and left me with a walking corpse. I had to kill my mother today so that gives me all the right in the world to tell you not to touch me. I can't give you what I don't have in me to give."

"What does that mean, Bella?"

"It means that the pain you've caused me may be too much for me to forgive. I don't know if I want to love you anymore."

Jacob's expression immediately went from anger to hurt and confusion. "You don't mean that, Bella. We have been best friends all of our lives. We love each other. You can't just turn that off. It's not right for you to punish me for something that I had no control over. I could not tell you about Renee. I wasn't the only one that knew about what was going to happen to her. Nata knew and she purposefully didn't interpret your whole dream, and you didn't stop speaking to her and blame her for Renee's death."

Bella slowly stood up and held onto the back of the couch for support. Instead of meeting Jacob's eyes she had her head turned to the side when she said, "I'm not married to Nata, and I didn't give my heart to her."

"Bella, look at you! You can't fight the imprint. Look what it's doing to your body. If you don't stop this it will kill you!"

"Maybe that's what I want. The imprint is irreversible; the only way out of it _is_ death."

There was no way Bella meant that. I was standing at a different angle than Jacob was and I could see the expression on her face. It didn't match the cruel words that came out of her mouth. She was pushing Jacob away on purpose and she was doing it by attempting to shred his heart to pieces, but I could see that it was hurting her to say those words.

I turned toward Jacob. He stood motionless in the middle of the living room. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. I quickly stepped behind him and grabbed him around the waist.

"Jacob, let's go. Give Bella some time to grieve her mother. She's not in her right mind right now. She loves you, just give her some space."

He didn't respond, but Jacob did let me lead him out of the house and into the woods. I called Paul and Jared and told them to go to Jacob's house and collect the exploded vampires bits and dispose of them.

_Two Hours Later…_

After I walked Jacob out of his house, we went to Paul's. He went straight into the guest room and slammed the door. After that, there was silence.

The rest of the pack and the council members needed to know what was going on so I called a council meeting. We all met at Embry's. We let Charlie fill us in on what happened at Jacob's today. We were all blown away when he told us that all Bella did was look at the Cullen vamp and he exploded.

We didn't press him for details about Renee. That experience was too raw and painful for him, and we didn't want to force him to relive the horror he had to endure.

He did tell us that Bella knew the leeches were there before Renee materialized. In addition, Bella made a comment to Renee like Renee had spoken when she hadn't. She also had the ability to move way faster than a normal human.

We all agreed that it was unwise for Bella to be left unguarded at any time. Being outside was not good enough. We had no idea about what was going on. At least we would have been warned if we had been inside with her because she would have disappeared. Since I was the Beta of the pack I would approach Jacob about making sure there was at least one of us with her at all times.

Once Jared and Paul had finished gathering all of the vampire remains and disposing of them, they brought Bella over here. She hasn't spoken to anyone. She did the same thing Jacob did. Once she walked into the house, she walked into Nata's room and closed the door.

Once the meeting was over, I had all of the pack members come outside and phase. I wanted them to see for themselves what happened between Bella and Jacob. They agreed with me, it was impossible for Bella to feel that way toward Jacob. The look on her face showed remorse and hurt not hate and anger.

There wasn't much we could do except continue to be very watchful and pray that they didn't end up killing each other.

**Embry POV**

_One week later…_

I missed my old life. Even though my mother and I didn't have it easy living here in La Push, I wished for the life I had before I became a wolf. My friends and I had normal problems and we had genuine fun. I don't even know what to call this shit that is my life now.

I'm grateful that people now know the truth about my mother, I have a brother that has become a major part of my life, and I have Angela but the rest of it sucks balls.

The tension has been so tight between the pack that if someone sneezed too hard one of us could phase on the spot. Jacob was straight "Alpha Wolf". His focus was finding the bloodsuckers that were after his family and friends and ending their miserable lives for good.

He lifted the ban on the pack and imprints from seeing Bella. There was a wolf assigned to her twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She didn't make a comment about it either way. When one of us was on Bella duty she always made sure to feed us and that we didn't need anything but that was as far as she would go. Bella wouldn't talk to us or hang out. She spent most of her time sitting in a chair in the corner looking at nothing while she shook and twitched.

Today was my day to Bella sit. I spent most of the morning patrolling the forest around our house but then decided to come inside and spend some time with Angela. We were sitting on the couch watching a movie. Bella was in my mom's room lying down.

I heard her when she went into the bathroom and took a shower. Once she opened the bathroom door, my nose was assaulted with her strawberry scented shampoo. I heard her walk down the hall and back into the bedroom. I was a little surprised when I heard Bella talking. I didn't think much of it. I assumed she must have been talking to someone on her cell phone.

A few minutes later, Bella walked into the living room and told Angela that she needed to tell her something. Angela got up and they left the room.

I had gotten so caught up in the movie that I was watching that I didn't notice that Angela never came back until Jacob yanked the front door off its hinges and charged into our living room.

"Where the hell is Bella?"

I looked at Jacob as if he'd been smoking crack before I responded. "She's in my mother's room with Angela."

Jacob grabbed me by my throat, lifted me off the ground, and swung me against the wall. Through clinched teeth he hissed, " No. She. Is .Not!"

Common sense was telling me not to argue with him but I could smell her. She was in the other room. Jacob was loosing it big time. "Dude, you need to seriously chill out. I can smell her. She's down the hall in my mom's bedroom."

Jacob abruptly let me go and backed away from me. He was straining to maintain control and talking was becoming an effort for him.

"You smell her shampoo not her scent. Listen, how many heart beats do you hear down the hall?"

I suddenly had a very difficult time swallowing once I realized that I only heard one heart beating in my mother's room. I croaked, "Angela, come here!"

She quickly came into the living room and I noticed that she wouldn't look in Jacob's direction. "Where is Bella?"

Angela looked between Jacob and me but said nothing.

"Answer me, Angela. Jacob needs to know where his imprint is!"

She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again.

"CRASH"

I turned in the direction of the sound, realizing that Jacob had picked up the coffee table and threw it across the room.

"I know you're the Alpha and all that but that doesn't give you the right to tear my house up."

Jacob ignored me and turned to Angela. "Did Bella ban you from telling us where she is and what she's doing?"

Angela stiffly nodded her head.

**Chase POV**

My father Edward Cullen was dead along with my grandmother and grandfather. It seemed that my family was destined for death. Sometimes I wondered what I'd gotten myself into. Was Isabella Swan worth all of this?

It was unsettling depending on the Volturi to help me obtain my May Traverse. These vampires had no reason to be loyal to me, and I didn't trust them.

Mia wouldn't admit it but I believed that she set my father up to die. The day that Edward and Renee confronted Bella we knew immediately when Bella knew they were there. Shockwaves of pain coursed through all of our bodies. It was the first time that I'd ever seen a force able to bring pain to Jane's eyes.

Due to me being half-human I experienced the most damage. My heart was beginning be beat irregularly and I could feel my shield weakening. Mia insisted that we leave before we were discovered. She claimed that my dad knew there was a chance we would have to separate and he would meet back up with us in Seattle.

I knew the moment that my father was dead. We were half-way to Port Angeles when we heard the explosion and the sound of marble shattering. I wanted to rip Mia's head off when she said, "Well I guess we won't keep the porch light on for him."

Was I sad that my father was dead? No, not really, but still, he was my father and I had wanted him in my life.

It took seven long days for me to recover from the damage Bella caused to my body. As each day went by Mia grew more and more impatient. On more than one occasion, she made it clear that she should have denied Carlisle's request to bring me back to life. I was too high maintenance for her. She considered me weak and useless.

Everything that she said about me was true. It's what I'd always believed about myself. My father always thought I had the best of both worlds. That was a lie. There was nothing redeeming about being part human.

Mia wanted to test her theory about Bella. She believed that we'd broken her enough that if I approached her correctly she would allow me to claim her as my own. What we decided to do today would be very dangerous but we were willing to take our chances.

I was actually nervous about seeing Isabella face to face. I honestly admitted to myself that it would bother me if she rejected me. I thought about what Jane said to me about how once I bit her I would be devoted to her. Isabella would own my heart. No one had ever had that kind of bond with me. I would have never allowed it. It scared me that it was something that I wanted to give to Isabella.

Once we were in La Push, Mia instructed me to go to Bella and test what her reaction to my presence would be. She warned me to get away quickly if I felt any signs that she was attempting to drain me of my powers.

I smiled smugly as I walked into their front door and right by Bella's guard dog. I followed the sound of my May Traverse's heartbeat down the hall. I stopped in front of the door she was behind and took a deep breath. I opened the door and walked in closing it behind me.

I was disgusted with the sight before me. Isabella was curled up into a ball on her bed shaking and it looked like she hadn't done anything to fix herself up in days. Her hair was an oily mess lying limply at her shoulders. She'd lost too much weight, and she was wearing an over-sized t-shirt and old cut up sweat pants that reeked of dog.

I opened my shield enough so that she would know that I was there.

"Hello, Isabella."

She slowly turned her head toward me and said, "What's up, Chase."

I had imagined many responses but "What's Up" was not one of them. She threw me off guard. I didn't know how to respond, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I can't talk to you when you look like that. Do something with yourself, and put on something that doesn't smell like wet dog."

Isabella slowly got off the bed, walked to the closet, and pulled out some clothes. She then went to a dresser that was against the wall and opened the top drawer. She had her back to me so I didn't know what she was getting until she turned around, and was holding a red thong in front of my face.

"Are these to your satisfaction?"

I didn't respond but just stared at the red material that she had swinging in front of my face. She turned away from me and walked out the door. A few moments later, I heard her close the bathroom door and the shower come on.

I leaned against the wall and waited. Mia was right. Turning her mother into a vampire and forcing her to have to kill her mother had sent her over the edge. That was the only explanation for her behavior toward me. I wasn't cocky enough to think that my gifts worked on her now.

Ten minutes later Bella came back into the room. She looked about fifty percent better than she did when she left. She still appeared a little too pale and washed out, but at least her hair was clean and combed and she had on clothes that smelled like her and not her mutt husband.

She looked at me and said, "I can't allow you to be here. You have to leave."

"Fair enough, as long as you come with me."

Isabella walked over to the window and quietly slid it up. "Okay, give me a second and I'll meet you by the tree line."

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. "You don't expect me to climb through the window like a coward. I came through the front door and I will leave the same way."

It was at that moment that I noticed the color of Isabella's eyes. They were a dull yellowish color that was slowly getting brighter as the seconds went by. I felt a dull pain in my chest as my heart began to palpitate.

"You will not walk back through the living room past my friends. You used your shield to get in here so you're a coward either way. So what difference does it make? Climb through the window and meet me at the tree line. I'll be out in a minute."

The pain in my chest was telling me that Isabella was on the edge of controlling the slayer within her. It wouldn't take much to set her off. So I climbed through the window and waited for her by the tree line. I felt like such a b****.

I could hear her go into another room and call for someone named Angela.

They came back into the bedroom and Isabella said, "I have to go. I need you to stay in here for as long as you can. Do not leave this room until Jacob or Embry call for you."

Another voice said, "What's going on, Bella?"

"You are not allowed to tell anyone about this conversation. You are not allowed to answer any questions about where I am or why I left. Jacob will attempt to frighten you into telling him. Don't worry; he won't get mad at you once he realizes I banned you from telling them anything."

Soon after, Isabella climbed out the window and walked across the yard toward me. Once she reached me, she continued to walk past me. She yelled over her shoulder, "We can't stay here we have to find another place to have this conversation."

My instincts were telling me to go in the opposite direction because no sane human would venture off into the woods with a vampire alone to _talk._

As we walked, I observed the forest around me. It was cold, foggy, and dreary. I hated Washington. Once this business was done with I planned to never come here again.

I didn't like that Isabella seemed to have the upper hand, so I stopped walking and said, "I think that we have gone far enough. I have my shield around us so we shouldn't be interrupted any time soon."

Isabella stopped and turned around and stared at me. I was relieved to see that her eyes were back to a dull yellow.

My curiosity was getting the better of me so I had to ask, "Why are your eyes yellow? They weren't that color when I first met you."

"I'm a Slayer. When there is a vampire threat or when I become angry my eyes turn yellow."

"Do your eyes ever return to their natural color?"

"Yes, but it's been a while. Having to kill my mother has kind of left me a little upset."

I knew better than to respond. I decided to change the subject.

"Why aren't you being protected by Jacob Black?"

Isabella turned away from me before she responded, "Let's get something straight right now. You and I will not discuss Jacob Black. All I want to hear come out of your mouth is why you have come into my life and turned it upside down."

I couldn't blame Isabella for the way she just responded to me. I knew that she wouldn't want to discuss her imprint with me, but I found it strange that he was allowing another wolf to watch his mate. He left her open for me to take.

I slowly walked behind her and I whispered in her ear, "You are my May Traverse. It's the hybrid's equivalent to what the wolves call imprinting. I was drawn to you when we first came to Forks, but I didn't understand it. I'd never wanted a human and it angered me that I wanted you. I handled the whole situation badly and got myself killed because of it."

Isabella shook her head and said, "But yet here you stand."

"When you're ready to hear it I will tell you how I was brought back. For now, all you need to know is that I want you. If you would give yourself to me I could take away all of the pain you are suffering with right now. You would never need for anything. I could give you the world."

"What if all I want is your heart?"

I took a chance and got as close to Isabella as I could. I placed my arms around her waist. I ran my nose from her collarbone, up the side of her neck, and stopped just behind her ear. "Then it's yours."

Isabella pulled away from me and turned around. "I'm a Slayer, which means that I am your enemy. It doesn't make sense that there could ever be a we."

"If you were to decide to become my mate then your slayer powers would be surrendered."

"If I were to give myself to you would we leave Washington and no harm would come to my family and friends?"

"If that's what you want then I can promise that no harm would come to your family. I will give you a couple of days to think about it. Since it bothers you so much, I won't come to you where you are staying. In two days, meet me at the cliffs with your decision. "

I quickly left Isabella in the forest to decide what her fate would be.

**No one has guessed what's been going on the past couple of chapters. So I will reword the question. What has not happened the past three chapters?**

**Thanks so much for all of the reviews and story alerts! I think last chapter had the greatest response out of all the chapters I've posted. I enjoyed the interaction that I had with so many of you. It was fun logging onto my computer and seeing when I had review alerts and being blown away by the wonderful things everyone had to say. I appreciate each and every one of you.**

**Have I told you guys that The Alpha's Imprint is also on Twilighted. My screen name is the same. I have banners posted there as well as pictures of the characters on a lot of the chapters. Check it out if you get a chance.**

**Thank you DreaC for your help with this chapter!  
**


	39. Chapter 39 Crossroads Part Two

***Realifewolfgirl* answered the question** "What has not happened in the past couple of chapters?" The answer is:_There hasn't been a Bella POV since Renee was taken. That let's you know there is a whole part of the story that hasn't been told yet._

**Thank you everyone that sent in answers. Everyone had some very accurate responses they just weren't the exact one's I was looking for.**

**_Re-posted April 19, 2011 beta'd by Tima83 from Twilighted and DreaC_  
**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Jacob's _Wolf_ POV**

_The morning Bella went missing_

When I got a hold of Chase, I was going to fucking tear his ass apart piece by piece, then rip his damn head off. My mate wouldn't come to me, and it was all because of that half-dead leech.

Everyone told me that Bella needed time. Having her mother turned into a leech was a lot to deal with. Bella's trust was shattered and according to my imprint, I should have by-passed any warnings I received about telling her about her mother.

I did regret the aftermath of what happen between Bella and me, but I didn't regret not telling her. If I had a chance to do things differently, I still wouldn't have told her, but if I was given another chance at this situation, I would not have allowed sixteen year old Jacob Black to let our mate walk out that door.

If she had stayed here instead of running off to Nata's, we would have talked and settled this. Instead, she went over there and gossiped about what happened between us with her imprint friends and they had a "we-hate-Jacob" party.

The pack knew that until Bella and I were reconnected, there was no way any of them would get the pleasure of her conversation, meals, or anything else she offered. I didn't expect Bella to be pleased with my command when she found out about it. In fact, it pissed her off and that's exactly what I wanted to happen. If she was mad then that meant she was thinking about me. I made sure when she attempted to contact me I didn't answer her call. This made her even angrier.

Her public disrespect of my command gave me an unquestionable reason to ban the imprints from seeing her. I wouldn't give them another chance to poison her mind even more about me.

I would never forget the look Bella had on her face when I rushed into the house after she killed her mother. I'd expected her to be so devastated by her mother's loss that she would want and need my comfort and protection. Instead, she stood there and looked at me with sadness and contempt. Attempting to take advantage of my wife's weak moment to try to force her to submit to me was a very bad idea. I knew better. Even before all the wolf/slayer crap Bella didn't do well when she felt cornered. She'd always been able to use her words as a weapon, and she reminded me of that when she told me she'd rather die then be imprinted to me.

At that moment, Jacob took over because anything the Alpha wolf would have done or said would have caused a tremendous amount of damage.

Jacob clutched Sam's words to his heart that Bella didn't mean it. She just needed time to grieve. We had to believe that because without our mate's love we had nothing to live for.

Throughout the day I always went to Nata's to check on Bella. She never knew I was there though. I always stayed within the tree line. I would close my eyes and listen to her heartbeat. She was living on autopilot, just doing enough to survive. Watching her destroy herself was destroying me.

I'd just finished a patrol in Forks and decided to stop by to see what Bella was doing. I knew immediately that she wasn't there. I felt the anger quickly roll throughout my body because wherever Bella was Embry was not. The wolves had strict instructions that Bella wasn't allowed to go anywhere without informing me first and them escorting her.

I burst through the front door and yelled, "Were the hell is Bella?"

Embry looked at me wide-eyed and said, "She's in my mother's room with Angela."

That was the wrong answer. I saw nothing but red when Embry stupidly told me that Bella was in his mother's room. If that were true, I wouldn't be standing in the middle of his living room ranting like a crazed animal.

I grabbed Embry by his throat, lifted him off the ground, and swung him against the wall. I hissed, " No. She. Is .Not!"

Embry looked confused and scared and said, "Dude, you need to seriously chill out. I can smell her. She's down the hall in my mom's bedroom."

I abruptly let Embry go and backed away from him. I'd left an idiot in charge of my imprint. It took all I had in me to stay in control and not phase in his living room.

"You smell her shampoo not her scent. Listen, how many heartbeats do you hear down the hall?"

I saw the exact moment when Embry wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He'd messed up big time and he knew it. There was no longer any confidence in his voice when Embry yelled out, "Angela, come here!"

She quickly came into the living room and immediately I knew that she knew where my imprint was. Embry asked, "Where's Bella?"

Angela looked between Embry and me but said nothing.

"Answer me, Angela. Jacob needs to know where his imprint is!"

Angela opened her mouth but quickly closed it again.

There was no way Angela would refuse to answer a direct question from her imprint unless…Bella banned her from answering any of our questions. I quickly picked up the coffee table and threw it across the room. How could she do something so stupid, what if something horrible happened to her? Now we had no way of finding Bella.

"CRASH"

Embry turned in the direction of the sound, realized that I'd picked up the coffee table, and threw it across the room.

Embry had the nerve to look irritated with me and said," I know you're the Alpha and all that, but that doesn't give you the right to tear my house up."

I ignored Embry and turned to Angela. "Did Bella ban you from telling us where she is and what she's doing?"

Angela stiffly nodded her head.

I closed my eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. I walked down the hallway and into Nata's room. The bedroom window was wide-open and I knew it was safe to guess that she'd made her escape through the window.

I walked back into the living room and told Embry to drop Angela off at the Clearwater's and then meet me at my house.

My first instinct was to have everyone search the woods with a fine toothcomb, but quickly changed my mind when I realized that until Bella was ready to be found there was really nothing we could do.

Being the Alpha meant nothing if I couldn't save my imprint from herself.

**Sam POV**

What felt like days was only a matter of sixty minutes. We were all at Jake's waiting for his next instructions when suddenly; he went rigid and said, "Bella is in the woods. Find her and bring her to me."

The pack looked uncomfortable and unwilling to move. There was concern and a little fear in their eyes. As the Beta, I took it upon myself to speak up and state what the rest of the pack was too scared to ask.

"Jake, what if Bella doesn't want to come back here and see you?"

With his teeth bared Jake said, "She doesn't have a choice. Bring her here even if you have to drag her screaming!"

A chill went down my spine when I thought about the outcome of attempting to drag Bella though the woods. I thought about what happened to Paul when he teased her one too many times and about the pipe wrench that almost knocked Jake's head off. As shape-shifters, we were strong but Bella as a slayer was just as strong. She could blow up vampires without touching them; I didn't look forward to making Bella angry.

"Um…Jake, I know your angry right now and very concerned about your imprint, but Bella can not be forced here to see you. There is no way you would be okay with one of us physically hurting her. You would kill whoever put a scratch on her and you know it."

Jake closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. He let out a long breath and with a defeated voice he said, "Please find my imprint and bring her to me. If she puts up too much of a fight and she becomes a danger to any of you or herself then just take her back to Embry's."

All of us were briefly hit with a crippling amount of pain. Jacob had allowed what he'd been experiencing for the past couple of days to flow through us so that we could fully understand what he was going through.

Jake instructed us to all hunt for her in our wolf forms so that we could stay connected at all times and know immediately if something happened to one of us.

I was a little disappointed when I ran across Bella's scent. I didn't want to be the one to wrestle with her.

_"Sam! Stop thinking of my Bella as if she's an unwanted task. How would you feel if we were looking for Leah and thought of her so carelessly?"_

_"Sorry, I'm grateful that Bella is alive. I just don't want her to get hurt if she decides to be stubborn."_

_"It won't come to that. You already have the order to not fight her if she decides she won't see me."_

I followed Bella's scent and was stunned when I realized her scent was mixed with a hint of vampire. Her heart was beating at a pace so fast that I feared she would have a heart attack at any moment.

Bella was extremely pale and the amount of shaking she'd been experiencing had amplified even more. When she saw me she fell to her knees, clutched her stomach and weakly said, "Sam…please…take me to Jake."

It was a relief to know that Bella was going to make this easy for me. Whatever she'd been through was bad enough for her to want to see Jake again.

Quickly, I phased and put my shorts on and picked her up. I ran through the woods until I reached Jacob's backyard. Jacob was there waiting for us. There was nothing but relief radiating from his eyes. I was grateful that I had been able to help put that look on his face.

I quickly put Bella down and waited for further instructions. Jake's eyes never left Bella when he said, "Leave us. Let everyone else know that Bella is with me and not to disturb us. I'll call you if need you."

I quickly ran back into the woods relieved that the Alpha had his Imprint back.

**Jacob POV**

I felt nothing but relief and pleasure when I saw through Sam's eyes Bella say she wanted me. I was willing to forget about all that had taken place the past couple of weeks if I could just have her in my arms again. Before I could do that though I had to know where she had been and what she'd been doing.

I slowly walked toward her in a non-threatening way to let her know that I didn't want to fight with her. She was barely able to stand up straight because her shaking was so bad. As I got closer to her, I began to smell the trace of leech that Sam had been thinking about when he found her. It was a scent that I would never forget, because it was the scent of the hybrid leech that I'd killed several months back.

A low growl forced it's way through my chest as I thought about him getting close enough to my imprint to leave his scent on her.

As much as I tried to fight it, the anger inside of me rolled off in waves as I thought about the fact that Bella willingly went off somewhere with the vampire. What was she doing with him? The only acceptable answer that I wanted to hear from her was that she blew his ass up.

Bella closed the gap between us, but despite the pleasure that her closeness brought me the wolf part of me couldn't fight past the vampire stench that burned the hairs in my nose. I backed away from her and said, "What were you doing with the leech?"

Bella swayed from side to side a moment before she stepped toward me and said, "I'm ready for you to know everything. Please, I need this pain to go away. I can't take it anymore. I need you to touch me."

There was no way I could refuse that request. Her fragile body didn't matter to me as I rushed toward her and picked her up bridal-style and held her tightly to my chest.

Immediately, shockwave after shockwave transferred between Bella and me. Quick flashes of her memories from the past couple of weeks flashed before my eyes.

_Nata reminding Bella about the dream she had concerning Chase biting her…_

_Bella wanting to forgive me but she wasn't allowed to…_

_How much it hurt her to tell me that she'd rather be dead than be my imprint…_

_Chase in Nata's room watching her get clothes out of the drawer…_

_My imprint putting her red thong, which happened to be my favorite one, in the leech's face…_

The images kept coming faster and faster. Within a matter of minutes, I understood the sacrifices that my imprint had made for the pack, family, our friends, and me.

I rushed her into the house and straight into the bathroom. By the time I had gotten Bella to the shower, she wasn't consumed with pain anymore. Instead, she now shook in anticipation of her wolf taking all of her pain away.

We needed each other and the stench of Chase was not going to ruin this moment. Therefore, whatever wasn't pulled off quickly was ripped off my imprint's body. I shoved my shorts off and lifted Bella into the shower.

I faced her away from the spray of the water and stood behind her. I picked up her body wash, practically poured the whole bottle all over her body, and slowly lathered her. When she was covered from head to toe with soap, I shifted our bodies so that she was now standing under the spray of the shower. As the soap dissolved from her body, I took in her appearance hungrily.

Bella had lost a lot of weight but it didn't take away from the sexiness of her body. I almost felt dirty and unworthy as I watched my imprint scan every nook and cranny of my body with unquestionable lust.

Without warning, her eyes lit up bright as a freshly lit flame and she growled, "Can Jake's wolf come out and play?"

Before I could respond, Bella already had her arms wrapped around my neck and her legs around my waist…

**Ahh...another chapter with a wet Jacob. Thanks so much for all of the reviews and story alerts! I've passed the 800 mark!**

**Isn't it a relief that Jake and Bella aren't fighting anymore?**


	40. Chapter 40 Author's Note

A/N

I know I promised to the next chapter posts yesterday but it's taking a lot longer to get Bella's POV put together.

I will be out of town today and tomorrow so I won't be able to finish it until Sunday. Please bear with me. I'm on page ten and hopefully you will like it.


	41. Chapter 41 Agree to Disagree

**A/N A lot of this chapter may seem like Déjà vu but I suggest you read each and every line because Bella's thoughts explain a lot. **

**Re-posted April 19, 2011 with beta corrections. Thanks Tima83 from Twilighted!  
**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Bella POV**

_Rewind back to the day Renee disappeared _

Today started out as a great day. It was always a treat to wake up and have the sun shinning through the window instead of dark dreary clouds. I'd already made breakfast and was now in the process of cleaning when I felt a sudden rush of panic. My hands shook so violently that I dropped the rag I was using to dust the furniture. There was so much adrenaline flowing throughout my body that I turned into a stuttering, jumping-out- of-my-skin mess.

It was a different feeling from when I knew vampires were present. Someone that I knew specifically was in serious danger. My instincts weren't telling me to kill a vampire but to save someone from a vampire. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. I needed to know where to go.

As each moment went by the panic increased, I realized that I would need the pack to help me. I wished that Jacob would have been home to help me but he wasn't, so I decided to go to Embry's and get him to take me through the woods to attempt to find who needed my help. I felt at a disadvantage because I knew this had to be vampire related, but I didn't feel the presence of any vampires.

I was thankful that Billy wasn't home but was with Harry, so I was able to leave the house without worrying about him. As I ran out the front door and down the driveway toward my truck, I felt a sudden compulsion to go to Forks. I quickly hopped into my truck and took off down the street to Embry's, because he was one of the quickest wolves. By the time I reached his door and began banging on it, I was near hysterical because if the danger was in Forks then that meant either Charlie or Renee needed my help.

Once Embry answered the door I quickly explained to him, what was going on, but instead of him quickly changing into a wolf so we could go, Embry hesitated and whined about needing Jacob's permission. I knew my husband well enough to know that if there were lives on the line he would be okay with me asking for Embry's help, all he was doing was wasting precious time.

The anger stirred inside me as each moment went by. I knew the moment my eyes must have changed colors because Embry backed away from me and phased without even taking his clothes off first. I shook my head in disgust when I realized that he was getting permission to take me to Forks because he feared getting an ass kicking from me. After a few moments, Embry lowered himself to the ground so that I could climb onto his back and we ran off into the forest.

There was no vampire trail to follow, so it felt like we were running blind. I had no tingling sensation on my neck to alert me that vampires were present. I was scared to admit to myself that the pull to save had disappeared. There was a strong possibility that I was too late and whatever Embry and I found would not be good.

Our search ended when we found my mother's car in Port Angeles. I fell to my knees and dry heaved when I saw the condition of her car. Embry confirmed he could smell the stench of leeches around and throughout her car.

One of the doors was ripped off and traces of my mother's blood were all over the driver side airbag. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what had happened. Vampires had ambushed my mother and caused her to crash and then took her. I knew the Cullens had something to do with this because Embry told me that Jacob said my mother's car disappeared into thin air

What kind of Slayer was I? My mother trusted that I would keep her safe and I'd let her down. I had to make this right. It couldn't end like this for her. I wouldn't give up until I found the leeches and killed each and every one of them. My mother would die over my dead body.

_Three Days Later_

My mother was still missing. As each moment ticked by without any leads to where she could be the anger and hate I felt for myself began to grow and consume my every waking moment. My mother could possibly be dead or a leech and it was my fault. It was my job to detect when a vampire was in the area and I failed.

Everyone tried to assure me that it wasn't my fault. The Cullens had an advantage of a shield to hide from us. There was no telling how long they had been watching and observing us to discover our weaknesses and ways to work around my slaying powers.

No one expected me to fight what I couldn't see. Everyone's acceptance of my failure to protect Renee was wrong. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother's pleading and trusting eyes and it stabbed my heart to know that I'd failed her.

Finding Renee became an obsession in my mind since Jake refused to let me leave the house. I didn't fight his decision because in reality I had no idea where to look for her. I spent all my time thinking about ways to work around a vampires shield. I'd decided that until Renee was found that I wouldn't eat or sleep. I gave myself over to my instincts, which completely kept my anger at the forefront of my mind. The abuse that I was inflicting on myself was irrational and dangerous but what made sense didn't matter to me anymore.

I spent my days pacing back and forth thinking aloud to myself how it was my fault Renee was missing. Everyone's well meaning words did nothing but fuel my anger and self-loathing. I began to lash out at anyone that came within ten feet of me. The only two people stubborn and brave enough to stick around were Jake and my dad.

Charlie would never admit it but I knew secretly he hated me. The love of his life was gone and it was because I didn't do my job to protect her. I was so ashamed that I'd stopped making eye contact with him when Charlie talked to me.

Jacob never left my side. He watched me and I could feel how much he wanted to take my pain away. I know that it bothered him that I wasn't reaching out to him for comfort. I couldn't make him understand that I didn't deserve his love and compassion. What I needed from him right now was for him to push me to my limits to find Renee and bring her home where she belonged.

I'd been pacing back and forth when suddenly Jake stood in front of me and grabbed me by my shoulders. Feeling Jake touch me brought shocks of pleasure and peace to my body. I wanted to relish in it and seek out more, but I knew that I didn't deserve to feel such things. If I didn't separate myself from him I'd be willing to give into his pleas for me to eat and sleep. He would be able to convince me that Renee's disappearance wasn't my fault and I would stop fighting to keep her alive. Therefore, I whispered, "Let me go, Jacob. I don't want to eat and I'm not sleeping until my mother is found."

"Nata just dropped off a letter for you that your mother wrote."

Jacob's comment sounded so out of place. What in the hell was he talking about? My mother had been missing for three days. How could she leave a frickin letter? For a moment, I thought that I'd gone crazy and had lost my ability to comprehend what Jacob was really saying to me, so I just stared.

"Your mother went to Nata a few days after your last dream and gave her a letter that she instructed to give to you if she ever disappeared and wasn't found within three days."

I squirmed out of Jake's hands and said, "Give me the letter."

Jake pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and handed it to me. I ripped the letter open and greedily read the words that my mother wrote to me.

I felt like my blood had been replaced with ice-water when I realized that my mother knew this was going to happen to her and that Jacob the love of my life knew about it. Any hope that I'd attempted to cling to evaporated. My mother was a leech and my husband knew it was going to happen. Renee had to be wrong. Jacob would never keep something like this from me.

I felt like I'd been sucker-punched in the gut. I was too overwhelmed with grief to hold on to my slayer strength. Instantly, I felt the effects of not eating and sleeping for days. I needed Jacob to tell me that he didn't know about my mother's fate. I looked into his eyes and saw fear, guilt, and sadness. I knew the answer before I opened my mouth to ask it.

I dropped the letter and began to back away from Jacob.

I whispered, "Did you know?"

Jacob hesitated before he said, "Yes. I didn't know the specifics but I knew that something was going to happen to your mother."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you."

"You knew that a bunch of filthy bloodsuckers were going to come and take my mother away and you chose not to tell me because it wasn't your place? I gave you my life and with that my trust and you kept something like this away from me?"

Jacob attempted to reach out toward me as he pleaded for my understanding, but I didn't want to hear it. He knew and didn't tell me. He might as well have stabbed me in the heart and had sex with my best friend in front of me. I could have taken that kind of betrayal a whole lot easier than this.

I cut him off and yelled, "No! You betrayed me. I've been tormenting myself for three days over my mother's disappearance. Blaming myself for not being experienced or alert enough when all along it was your fault, because you chose to believe that it wasn't your place to tell me."

I knew my words were hurting Jacob but I was in too much pain to care. He fell to his knees and said, "Bells, you have to believe me. If I had a choice I would have told you. You know that. I would do anything for you to keep any type of pain away from you. I love your parents like they are my own. There is nothing that any of us could have done to prevent what happened to her. It was her fate."

Jacob's words about fate felt like a slap in the face. My mother forced to be a damn leech was not fate! I had to get out of this house before I did something that I would regret. I turned away from Jacob and stormed toward the front door. Jacob quickly caught up to me, spun me around and demanded, "Where are you going?"

I replied, "Anywhere that you are not."

I snatched away from him and fled out the door. He didn't attempt to follow me. I had no idea where I was going until I made it to their front porch. My mother was gone, my imprint was a liar, and I wish that I were dead.

When Nata opened the front door, I crashed into her arms. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I had started crying. I held onto her for dear life. I attempted to speak, but couldn't catch my breath long enough to push the words out of my mouth. All of the pent up fear, anger, and hurt I'd been suppressing came gushing out. Nata held me as tightly as she could and whispered assurances into my ear only a mother could.

Somehow, I ended up in Angela's arms and she guided me to the floor as she rocked me back and forth.

I didn't know how long I cried, but once I was done I felt empty and dead inside. Nata had called all the imprints over except for Claire. They waited patiently until I was composed enough to speak. No one knew what to say when I told them that my mother was now a leech. Since she was now my enemy, I had to kill her.

The conversation got heated when I was asked questions about Jacob. It angered me that everyone wanted to come to his defense and proclaimed that if he didn't tell me it was because he couldn't. My pain was Jacob's pain. Keeping something like this from me had to have been very painful for him. The longer the conversation went on the angrier I became. After a while, Nata brought some clarity to my mother's letter.

She asked me, "Bella, do you remember the last time you and Jacob came over to have your dream interpreted and Jacob stayed behind?"

I slowly nodded.

"Well, Jacob suspected that I had only interpreted a portion of your dream and he was correct. There was a part that I couldn't tell you that involved your mother. Jacob wanted to tell you, but I told him that he could not.

"Your husband is the Alpha. Yes, you are his main priority, but you are not his only priority. When he makes decisions, he has to take into account how it will affect everyone as a whole. Telling you would not have changed anything. Renee still would be gone no matter what. If he had interfered by telling you then more than just your mother would have suffered the same fate."

I didn't have the strength to stand anymore, so I slid against the wall until my bottom hit the floor. I asked in a weak voice, "How long had my mother known that she was going to be a vampire?"

"Since the day your mother found you in the woods during the storm."

My mother's whole adult life had been nothing but one sacrifice after the other. First, she had to give up her marriage to keep me alive and now she gave up her life to assure that we would survive this war. Once again, I cried. My friends comforted me through out the rest of the night.

Even though I was still upset that Jacob hadn't told me about my mother, I was ready to forgive him. I understood his role as the Alpha and if he felt that it was best for me not to know then I had to trust his judgment. Nata did not agree that I should go back to Jacob and forgive him.

She brought to my attention that my mother was a very smart woman. She knew me better then I knew myself. Renee wanted me to be mad at Jacob for a reason. We spent a long while coming up with various reasons why Jacob and I being at odds with each other would be a good thing. Nata was able to clarify a lot of information. Such as- When the Alpha is separated from their imprint is causes them to become severely angry and territorial. The human part of them will shut down and the wolf will completely take over which is best at times of war.

The Cullens had taken my mother and turned her into a leech as a way to weaken our defenses by distracting me. Since I couldn't detect them, I had to assume that they were around and it was my job to make sure that they saw exactly what they set out to see. They wanted a depressed, wacked out Bella, then that was what they were going to get.

To make things easier on my imprinted friends I gave the order that this conversation would never be repeated to anyone ever again. Leah was extremely pissed at me. She didn't like being forced to follow orders and it really bothered me that I had to do it.

Nata warned me that that as the imprintee not only would I suffer with bouts of depression and random acts of anger, but the longer I refused my Alpha the more physical pain I would have to endure. The situation would become so extreme that the only thing that would keep me alive would be the fact that I'm a Slayer.

I left the next morning and went back home. I could hear Jacob ranting and raving from the driveway…

"What the hell? Billy and Charlie are not the only ones that need her! She needs to want to come home because _I_ need her!"

I took a deep breath. I wasn't a good liar and pretending wouldn't fool Jacob. I was going to have to allow my mind to fall back into the state it was in before I realized the whole story about Renee. I also thought about how good it would feel when the time finally came when I would be able to see Chase face to face, so I could kill him painfully and slowly.

Just thinking about the hybrid-leech caused my blood to boil and that was when I knew I was ready to face Jacob.

I walked through the front door. I saw a variety of emotions flash across Jacob's eyes at one time-sadness, anger, fear, doubt, and the need to make me want and need him again.

The instant I refused to go to my wolf when he clearly needed me I instantly felt small stabs of pain through out my joints and muscles, which caused me to shake and twitch. Jacob was about to walk toward me when Charlie stopped him. They stared at each other for a few moments before my dad spoke.

"Bella, sweetheart, what's going on? Are you sick, do you need us to take you to the hospital?"

I still found it hard to face Charlie. Now it was because I didn't want to have to tell him that Renee would never be back. She was dead to us now. I kept my eyes on the floor when I said, "No, I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine, just tired. I'm going to go to sleep now."

I walked pass Jake and said, "Nothing has changed. I still can't stand to look at you. Stay out of my way."

I forced myself to stumble into our bedroom and I collapsed onto our bed and cried.

Nata was right, the pain I had to endure refusing my imprint was excruciating. Along with that, my mind was a never-ending race of thinking. The slayer part of me planned and fantasized about how Chase would die repeatedly and I questioned my ability to follow through with disposing of my mother when the time came. My major mind struggle was that I was the cause of my Jacob's pain.

I kept myself distracted by making sure that dad and Billy were taken care of. I kept the house clean and both of them fed. Half of the time, I was so consumed with pain that I'd just sit at the dining room table and stare into space.

No one realized the extra physical pain that was caused when they forced me to verbally state that I would not forgive Jacob. The first couple of days Billy and my dad made it their mission in life to attempt to talk some sense into me until I lashed out and destroyed the living room TV. After that, they left me alone.

From what I'd been told, Jake's wolf was in total control right now and he was beyond pissed at me. It was an Alpha command that unless my life was in danger my name was not to be brought up in his presence. If they were on patrol, none of the wolves were allowed to even think about me. Each day that went by that I did not go to Jacob and end this mess between us caused the anger in him to increase a hundred fold. This was exactly what needed to happen in order for him to keep the pack alert and safe.

For the normal werewolf this would be dangerous, but for the Alpha, it was perfect for war. Right now, the wolf part of Jacob was in full control, which meant he was guided by pure instinct, so emotions couldn't cause him to make wrong choices.

_Seven days after the letters were read_

When Jacob commanded that none of the wolves were allowed to socialize with me, I had to pretend that it pissed me off. Actually, I was relieved that he did that because the further away from me every one was the better. The Cullens needed to feel comfortable enough to think it wouldn't be too difficult to get to me without any complications.

It angered Jacob when I openly disrespected him, so to punish me he also commanded that no imprints were allowed to come near me. That also worked for me. Right now, I was a danger magnet and unknowingly Jacob was making all the right choices to keep every one safe. I was beginning to understand the purpose of the wolf taking over when emotionally Jake was unable to make choices that would seem cruel to outsiders concerning me.

Once again, I was in pain and thinking about how much I missed Jacob and what I would do to Chase when we finally saw each other face to face. When without warning I felt a very strong tingling sensation pulsate down my neck and spine. I quickly stood up when I realized that there weren't vampires coming but they were here in the same room with me and my father.

I heard Charlie say, "What is it, Bells?"

I couldn't answer him because I needed to figure out exactly where the vampires were. I shut out everything except my instinct to find and destroy. I felt a strong urge to grab my father and put him behind me, so I started to walk in his direction.

I must have been in complete slayer mode because Charlie looked at me with shock and amazement. I was no longer weak, tired, or shaking. There was the look of acceptance in my father's eyes when he realized that the time had come and Renee was back.

I never allowed myself to imagine what my mother would look like as a blood-sucking leech. The creature that materialized behind Charlie would forever be imprinted into my mind. There weren't words that could describe her beauty. The flawless porcelain tone of her skin, perfect auburn highlights in her bouncy shoulder length hair, and her perfectly toned body, but the main feature that would haunt me for the rest of my life would be Renee's soulless jet-black eyes.

I sucked in a breath and came to a halt. Renee stood directly behind Charlie. One swift movement and he was dead. She was testing me to see if I had the courage to kill both her and my dad if I had to. I locked eyes with Renee and said, "You're wrong. If you were to bite him, I wouldn't hesitate to finish the job. You and I both know Charlie would rather die than be a blood sucking leech."

Not only was I going to protect my father from this demon from hell, but I was also going to make sure that he would never get to see what his loving wife had become. I looked toward Charlie and calmly reached my hand toward him and said, "Dad, don't turn around. Slowly walk toward me and don't stop until you are behind me. Once you are behind me close your eyes and keep your back to me. Don't open them until I tell you to."

Charlie had almost reached me when Renee made her move. Everything after that happened very quickly. She grabbed Charlie and yanked him back into her chest. I shocked both her and myself with how quickly I was able to get to her, disconnect her arms from her body, and pull my dad away from her.

For a moment, it was just Renee and I standing face to face. Her eyes changed from charcoal black to crimson and showed me _everything_ that I needed to know. I received no pleasure knowing that this vampire was going to die. My instincts told me that she didn't want to really cause us any harm. She was just doing what had to be done. I pushed Renee to the ground and quickly straddled her waist and as I placed my hands around my mother's neck, I cried as I mourned the death of the woman that brought out the best in me. I quickly said, "Thank you for making this easier for me." I ripped Renee's head from her body and flung it across the room.

Once I destroyed Renee, I realized there was still another leech in the room. Seconds later Edward Cullen materialized in front of me and I heard him say, "Take my son and get out of here. This ends for me today."

It brought me great pleasure to know that I would kill the bastard vamp that took my mother's life and that his spawn son was next. The Cullens were wrong when they thought that turning my mother into a leech would push me over the edge and cause me to want their bastard hybrid monster. Instead, it fueled my need to seek revenge. I smiled, as I felt taken over with rage and watched as Edward Cullen exploded into a million pieces.

I was quickly jarred out of my euphoria when I heard Jacob yelling in the yard. Once again, I had to push down my want to rush outside and throw myself at him. I needed him so badly right now. The Bella part of me wanted to defy what was right and do what I needed to do to make the pain go away. I forced myself to look at my father struggling to breathe in the corner and it helped me to remember that I had to endure my pain for the sake of every one that I cared for.

Jacob stopped just as he reached the entrance and waited to gage my reaction. I stood in the middle of the living room with my fists clutched down at my sides. I shook with pain as I continued to taunt Jacob's wolf with my defiance. I sent him over the edge when I refused to allow him to touch me. I had pushed his wolf too far and I could tell that if I didn't do something quick Jacob's wolf would take my choices away and I couldn't allow that, so I fought back with my words.

I honestly thought the next words that came out of my mouth were going to be the ones to kill me with the amount of pain they caused. My shaking increased and I collapsed to my knees and clutched my stomach to try to hold back some of the pain.

I lowered my head to the ground and whispered brokenly, "Look around you great and mighty Alpha. Some of the vampire bits that you see laying around are my mother and the rest are those of the vampire that took my human mother and left me with a walking corpse. I had to kill my mother today so that gives me all the right in the world to tell you not to touch me. I can't give you what I don't have in me to give."

"What does that mean, Bella?"

"It means that the pain you've caused me may be too much for me to forgive. I don't know if I want to love you anymore."

Jacob's expression immediately went from anger to hurt and confusion. "You don't mean that, Bella. We have been best friends all of our lives. We love each other. You can't just turn that off. It's not right for you to punish me for something that I had no control over. I could not tell you about Renee. I wasn't the only one that knew about what was going to happen to her. Nata knew and she purposefully didn't interpret your whole dream, and you didn't stop speaking to her and blame her for Renee's death."

I couldn't take much more of this. Jacob was fighting for us and it was killing me to treat him this way. I slowly stood up and held onto the back of the couch for support. I couldn't look Jacob in the eye as I said these next words because I couldn't convince myself to pretend to mean them. "I'm not married to Nata, and I didn't give my heart to her."

"Bella, look at you! You can't fight the imprint. Look what it's doing to your body. If you don't stop this it will kill you!"

"Maybe that's what I want. The imprint is irreversible; the only way out of it _is_ death."

Jacob's wolf backed off and left in his place was my heartbroken husband. He stood motionless in the middle of the living room. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Thankfully, Sam quickly stepped behind him and grabbed him around the waist.

He said to Jacob, "Jacob, let's go. Give Bella some time to grieve her mother. She's not in her right mind right now. She loves you, just give her some space."

Jake didn't respond, but allowed Sam to lead him out of the house and into the woods. I didn't move until Paul and Jared came and took me to Embry's to stay until the house could be repaired.

Once I was dropped off at Embry's I went into Nata's bedroom and closed the door and allowed my grief and pain over the loss of my mother and the pain I caused Jacob to take full control of my mind and body.

_One week later…_

My imprint withdrawals were so extreme now that I honestly did fear that if something didn't happen soon I would end up dead. I could barely walk, sleep wasn't an option anymore and the only thing that I could keep down when I attempted to eat was water.

It was Nata's idea to sneak and get a couple items of Jacob's clothes for me to wear. His scent helped a little. So that is how I spent a lot of my time now, cooped up in this room inhaling Jacob's scent.

This morning was no different. Everyone knew to leave me alone and I would come out when I was ready. I was so distracted with my pain and my need for Jacob's presence that I was caught off guard when Chase appeared before me.

"Hello, Isabella."

Instantly my mind began to chant, "Kill, kill, kill." I suppressed it because I needed him to think that he had broken me so I did what wouldn't be considered a normal human response and slowly turned my head toward him and said, "What's up, Chase."

Chase hid it well but I could tell that response threw him off guard. The prick in him couldn't keep silent for long before he said, "I can't talk to you when you look like that. Do something with yourself, and put on something that doesn't smell like wet dog."

I could end this now. He was alone. Chase could be dead and our troubles could be over but I wanted him to suffer and I needed more information about what we were up against concerning the rest of his family before I ended his miserable life.

I slowly got off the bed, walked to the closet, and pulled out some clothes. I then went to a dresser that was against the wall and opened the top drawer. I smiled when I looked in my underwear drawer and saw my red thong. It was Jake's favorite; he liked to pull them off with his teeth. I took the thong out of the drawer, turned around, and held it up in front of Chase's face.

"Are these to your satisfaction?"

The stupid freak was too virginphied to respond. Instead, he just stared at the red material that I swung in front of his face. His lust for my body was almost as strong as the hate he felt for me. He wasn't here to harm me or any one in the house, so I turned away from Chase and walked out the door. I walked down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower.

I remembered the last dream that I had concerning Chase. He wanted to kill Jacob and the rest of the people of Forks and La Push. I felt uneasy because I didn't feel in danger around him right now. I was battling with the slayer within me. I wanted it to surface but it was holding back. I didn't know what that meant but I knew I couldn't leave Chase alone in Nata's room for too long so I hurried up and got dressed.

As I looked in the mirror, I saw some of the life come back to my malnourished and sleep deprived body. I wasn't shaking anymore and my strength was slowly building. It felt different from in the past. There was usually heat that flowed throughout my body as I regained my strength but this time it was the opposite. I felt a slight chill just under the surface of my skin and it felt so wrong.

Chase was leaning against the wall when I re-entered the bedroom. He appraised my appearance and nodded his head in acceptance. It freaked me out a little when I felt somewhat pleased that my appearance was acceptable to him.

I needed to guide my thoughts in another direction so I said, "I can't allow you to be here. You have to leave."

"Fair enough, as long as you come with me."

I didn't know how Chase got into the house but there was no way I could justify allowing him to walk past Angela and Embry even if he did have his shield up. I walked over to the window and quietly slid it up. "Okay, give me a second and I'll meet you by the tree line."

He raised his eyebrow in confusion and disgust. "You don't expect me to climb through the window like a coward. I came through the front door and I will leave the same way."

I knew that Chase needed to think that I'd lost my mind and he could get away with a few things, but there as no way I would ever allow him to think I'd jeopardize the safety of my family and friends for him. The chill left my body and was replaced with the heat I was accustomed to. The slayer in me wasn't fighting to stay dormant anymore and I could tell the moment when Chase started to feel the anger I had toward him. I was in control of this situation and Chase was about to find that out.

"You will not walk back through the living room past my friends. You used your shield to get in here so you're a coward either way. So what difference does it make? Climb through the window and meet me at the tree line. I'll be out in a minute."

Chase wanted to kill me for talking to him like that but at the same time he knew I could blow his ass up if he didn't back down. He climbed through the window and waited for me by the tree line.

I needed to leave with Chase and get back without being detected, so I was going to need Angela's help. I went into the living room and called for her. We came back into the bedroom and I said, "I have to go. I need you to stay in here for as long as you can. Do not leave this room until Jacob or Embry call for you."

Angela looked confused and worried when she said, "What's going on, Bella?"

She looked out the open window and saw Chase standing by the tree line. Her eyes became wide and she was about to scream. As I walked toward the window to climb out I said," You are not allowed to tell anyone about this conversation. You are not allowed to answer any questions about where I am or why I left. Jacob will attempt to frighten you into telling him. Don't worry; he won't get mad at you once he realizes I banned you from telling them anything."

Angela couldn't argue with me because I gave her a direct order. I felt bad bringing her into this mess but I had no choice. If I could take care of this situation without any of the wolves finding out about it that would be for the best. I didn't want to put any of them in danger. If Jacob found out about this all hell would break loose.

I climbed out the window and walked across the yard toward Chase. Once I reached Chase, I walked past him. I yelled over my shoulder, "We can't stay here we have to find another place to have this conversation."

The tension was thick in the air. Chase was on edge. Not only was I venturing off into the woods with a vampire but also I wasn't attempting to kill him. He didn't know what to think and that made him second guess his plan to come after me.

Chase abruptly stopped walking and said, "I think that we have gone far enough. I have my shield around us so we shouldn't be interrupted any time soon."

I stopped and turned around and stared at Chase. Once he realized that I wasn't going to argue with him he seemed to relax a little.

Chase stood in front of me for a few moments and stared at my face. He then asked, "Why are your eyes yellow? They weren't that color when I first met you."

It seemed that in the face of the enemy, I shouldn't answer this question but for some reason I felt compelled to tell him what he wanted to know. "I'm a Slayer. When there is a vampire threat or when I become angry my eyes turn yellow."

"Do your eyes ever return to their natural color?"

"Yes, but it's been a while. Having to kill my mother has kind of left me a little upset."

He redirected the conversation and said, "Why aren't you being protected by Jacob Black?"

If Chase saw my face when I talked, about Jacob he would know how deeply I loved my imprint and that everything that had been going on the past couple of weeks was a lie, so I turned away from him before I responded.

"Let's get something straight right now. You and I will not discuss Jacob Black. All I want to hear come out of your mouth is why you have come into my life and turned it upside down."

He slowly walked behind me and whispered in my ear, "You are my May Traverse. It's the hybrid's equivalent to what the wolves call imprinting. I was drawn to you when we first came to Forks, but I didn't understand it. I'd never wanted a human and it angered me that I wanted you. I handled the whole situation badly and got myself killed because of it."

We were right. Jacob did kill Chase. I shook my head and said, "But yet here you stand."

"When you're ready to hear it I will tell you how I was brought back. For now, all you need to know is that I want you. If you would give yourself to me I could take away all of the pain you are suffering with right now. You would never need for anything. I could give you the world."

The coldness under my skin came back and I noticed that his closeness wasn't bothering me like it should. It was difficult to stay focused because of the conflicting emotions that were stirring throughout my body. There was only one thing that struck my mind when Chase told me he could give me the world and I was slapped dumb when it flew out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

"What if all I want is your heart?"

This encouraged Chase and he moved closer behind me and placed his arms around my waist. My muscles locked, when he touched me I should have flinched. My natural reaction should have been to fight but instead, I found myself paralyzed. I couldn't even open my mouth to scream. This had to be a dream because I wasn't scared, having Chase touch me felt just as natural as being wrapped up in Jake's arms.

He ran his nose from my collarbone, up the side of my neck, and stopped just behind my ear and said, "Then it's yours."

I felt and intense amount of pleasure like I did when I killed Edward as I pulled away from Chase and turned around to face him. "I'm a Slayer, which means that I am your enemy. It doesn't make sense that there could ever be a we."

"If you were to decide to become my mate then your slayer powers would be surrendered."

In order to get what I wanted I was going to have to give Chase what he wanted. Everything about this situation was wrong but I couldn't fight the urge to follow what I seemed to need.

"If I were to give myself to you would we leave Washington and no harm would come to my family and friends?"

"If that's what you want then I can promise that no harm would come to your family. I will give you a couple of days to think about it. Since it bothers you so much, I won't come to you where you are staying. In two days, meet me at the cliffs with your decision."

Before I could reply, Chase was gone and within seconds, I was attacked with the worst imprint withdrawals that I'd ever had. Fear overtook me because the contractions in my muscles and joints were so severe it felt like they were going to burst apart. My heart hurt. It was beating too fast and the pain was crippling. It felt like someone was holding my heart and had ripped through it with their fingernails. I was breathing normally, but the oxygen wasn't doing anything. I didn't know exactly what happened between Chase and I but it opened up something inside of me that went against my connection with Jake. Somehow, I'd betrayed Jake and was going to pay for it with my life.

I was so thankful when I saw Sam. He'd found me just in time because I collapsed to the ground and didn't have the strength to get up. I refused to die in the forest and allow Jacob to blame himself. It was time for Jake to know everything, and if his wolf decided I deserved to die because of my betrayal then that would be my fate.

"Sam…please…take me to Jake."

For some reason Sam looked relieved when he heard my request. He quickly phased, put his shorts on and picked me up. Sam ran through the woods until we reached my backyard. Jacob was there waiting for us. I felt so much guilt when I saw nothing but relief in his eyes.

Sam quickly put me down. Jake's eyes never left me when he told Sam, "Leave us. Let everyone else know that Bella is with me and not to disturb us. I'll call you if need you."

Jake slowly walked toward me with a relaxed expression on his face. I could barely stand up straight because the shaking was so bad. As Jake got closer, he started to sniff the air and he cringed a little when he looked at me. I knew the moment the scent registered because he started to growl.

Jacob was thinking and the longer he was left to his imagination the angrier he was becoming. Quickly as my shaking body would allow I closed the gap between us, but despite the obvious pleasure that my closeness brought Jake, the wolf part of him couldn't fight past the vampire stench that was all over me. He backed away from me and said, "What were you doing with the leech?"

For the first time ever it felt like I was connected to Jake with an invisible string, so when he stepped away from me I swayed from side to side. I needed his closeness so I said, "I'm ready for you to know everything. Please, I need this pain to go away. I can't take it anymore. I need you to touch me."

I was giving the wolf what he'd been waiting for. He was getting my submission so there was no way he could refuse my request. Without another thought, Jake rushed toward me, picked me up bridal-style, and held me tightly to his chest. I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy this moment of instant relief and pleasure. I knew once Jacob knew everything the wolf would go into a rage and end my life.

Immediately, shockwave after shockwave transferred between us. Quick flashes of my memories from the past couple of weeks flashed before our eyes.

_Nata reminding me about the dream I had concerning Chase biting me…_

_How I wanted to forgive Jake but wasn't allowed to…_

_How much it hurt to tell Jake that I'd rather be dead then be his imprint…_

_Chase in Nata's room watching me get clothes out of the drawer…_

_Putting my red thong in the leech's face…_

_Banning Angela from telling anyone what she saw or where I went…_

_Chase and I walking through the woods…_

_Chase explaining that I was his May Traverse…_

_Sam finding me in the woods…_

It shocked me to realize that my thoughts were filtered without me attempting to do it. Nothing that would have sent Jake over the edge transferred to his mind.

He rushed me into the house and straight into the bathroom. As each moment passed, the pain I felt faded away and was replaced with a feeling of near completeness. I was accosted with nothing but thoughts about how I was going to take Jake's pain away and never allow it to come back.

Jacob got us both undressed quickly and lifted me into to shower. He faced me away from the spray of the water and stood behind me. I was temporarily struck with confusion when I felt a prick of remorse that Jacob planned to wash the scent of Chase off me. It wasn't until this moment that I realized even though I couldn't smell his scent where he touched me I felt a tinge of coldness around my waist, behind my ear, neck, and collar bone. Once again, for a few moments my muscles locked as I felt the body wash run from my head down my shoulders and the rest of my body.

Once Jacob slowly started to lather my body I began to relax. When I was covered from head to toe with soap, Jacob shifted our bodies so that I was now standing under the spray of the shower. As the soap dissolved from my body, Jake took in my appearance hungrily.

I'd abused my body so much the past couple of weeks that I doubted anything about me could look good to Jake. I was wrong, there was nothing but raw appreciation when he scanned me from head to toe.

I was so grateful for another opportunity to feast my eyes on the wonderful masterpiece that was Jacob Black. Everything about his body was perfect and I planned to show Jacob just how much I'd missed him.

It had been way to long since we'd been together and I didn't want gentle and romantic. I needed something that would force away the conflicting emotions that were swimming in my mind about Chase. My body needed to be punished for the thoughts that were trying to lay claim to my mind about the hybrid that played a part in my mother's death. I was relieved when the slayer took control, I growled, "Can Jake's wolf come out and play?"

Before Jake could respond, I'd already locked my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. My out-of-character aggression instantly brought Jacob's wolf to the surface. His eyes were yellow and bright. He didn't say anything as he quickly swung me around and rammed me into the shower wall so hard and fast it cracked the tiles.

I didn't know which I relished in more-the pain that I felt as the cracked tile dug into my back or the pleasure that I received knowing that I was being punished for the wrong I'd inflicted on my imprint. Since Jake had me securely pressed against the wall I let go of his neck and placed my hands on both sides of his face. I locked eyes with him and whispered, "More."

_I woke up with an overwhelming need for a drink of water. I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to get some water. Once I was done, I placed the glass in the sink. For once, it wasn't cloudy outside and I was able to see a few stars through the window. I never realized how pretty the night sky was. I stood there for a few moments and enjoyed the view. _

_Suddenly, I felt two warm arms wrap around my waist and a very warm body press against me. I smiled as I moaned and tilted my head back. I felt so secure and comfortable wrapped in so much warmth. This was one of those moments that I never wanted to end._

_I felt warm lips kiss my neck and sparks of electricity shot throughout my body. I felt my legs get weak. I was turned around and lifted onto the counter top. My lips were greedily assaulted and warm hands caressed and explored every inch of my body._

_My body was on fire and I never wanted this to end. Once again, he was lining my neck with kisses. I found it hard to think and breathe. I murmured, "I love you so much; you are my forever."_

_The kisses stopped, and the warmth disappeared. I opened my eyes and smiled when I realized it was Chase. I felt a blanket of coldness caress my body and I trembled not with fear or anger but with pleasure and anticipation. He looked at me with his cold blue eyes and frowned. He said, "You know that's not how you like it. Let's show your imprint how it's really done." Chase grabbed me by my shoulders and bit me…_

I slowly opened my eyes and realized that it was a dream. Pure uncensored panic took over my mind when I realized that for the first time I didn't wake up screaming from the thought of Chase biting me because there was a part of me that wished that he had.

As I turned toward my Jacob that was lying peacefully next to me I felt over shadowed with dread when I began to wonder if Chase had won after all.

_Later the same day_

I had Nata meet me in a restaurant in Forks. There was no way I could take a chance on discussing this dream and how it made me fell anywhere near the wolves.

I'd mastered the art of pretending a little too well because Jacob sensed nothing when he woke up this morning. He didn't question my plans to come and see Nata for lunch. His only request was that I come home directly after so that we could talk.

I didn't tell Nata what I wanted when I called her, but she could tell that it was something bad by the tone in my voice. When she arrived at the restaurant, I had been waiting for about ten minutes with a full glass of water sitting in front of me. Once she sat down, I passed her a menu and told her she could order whatever she wanted it was my treat.

She told me that she really wasn't hungry so when the waitress came to our table we both ordered muffins and coffee. It was humiliating telling Nata about the dream and the feelings that occurred once I woke up.

For a long time she didn't say anything. Eventually, Nata leaned forward and grabbed my hands. She gently squeezed and said, "When someone has a recurring dream but parts about it are different that usually means that subconsciously the dreamer's thought patterns about the situation have changed. You have changed since the last time you've had this dream."

Nata let go of my hands and sat back. She looked at me and with a cold authority that I'd never seen from her before and she said, "You have to deal with this."

I shook my head and whispered, "No. This has gone too far. I never realized it would push me to this. It disgusts me to feel this way about Chase. You don't understand because it's not you."

Nata quickly slid out of her side of the booth and said, "Pay the check. It's time to go."

I felt like a small child that was chastised for being naughty. I quickly got up and went to the register to pay the bill. Once we were outside, Nata grabbed me by my arm tightly and drug me toward her car. With each step we made the anger inside of me began to fester. Who did she think she was manhandling me like this? Just before we reached her car I snatched away from her and said, "Don't you think for a second that it will ever be okay for you to touch me like that. I came to you for help not for you to physically abuse me."

My anger didn't faze her. She opened the passenger side door and said, "Get in."

Once we were both in the car she turned to me and said, "Look Bella, I have no idea what it's like to be in your shoes. You are in a very dangerous situation that if you're not careful it could lead you down the wrong path. Everything that is happening is supposed to happen. You were warned several times about the sacrifices that you would have to make in order to assure the safety of everyone that you love.

"I will not stand by and allow your mother's death to be in vein. Like I said before, you have changed and so has your thought pattern. Have your instincts ever led you the wrong way in the past?"

"No."

"Okay, so why question it now? The reason you had the dream the first time was that you needed to be warned so when it happened you would understand it. You had the dream this time because it's now happening and everything is as it should be."

I hit my head against the window in frustration. "Jacob won't allow this to happen. Once he touches me again he's going to know about our meeting and the dream and he's not going to allow it to happen."

Nata started to chuckle lightly. "Bella, Jacob isn't allowed to know about this and he won't find out about it until he is supposed to. Think back a moment. Has he ever questioned you about what was expected to take place when the time came for you to finally confront Chase?"

I shook my head.

"We all know Jake's been touching you since Sam found you in the woods yesterday and what exactly has he found out about you and Chase?"

I didn't respond because I didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"I'll answer for you. He knows nothing about it because anything that had to do with your destiny concerning Chase is blocked. The slayer within you won't allow it to surface. I'm warning you, you can try and tell Jacob verbally but I can assure you that you won't enjoy the results."

"What if my feelings get too strong for me to resist?"

Nata looked straight ahead when she said, "That's a chance your going to have to take."

**The original plan was to end the chapter right after Bella woke up and realized her disturbing feelings toward Chase, but I decided to add a little more so that I wouldn't loose any one who thought Bella moved on over to the dark side.**

**Thanks for the reviews and story alerts. We are in the home stretch. One more day until Bella sees Chase again. What are Jake and Bella going to talk about since she's been warned not to discuss her fate? How bad could it be if she went against Nata's warning and told him anyway?**

**Next update will be this coming Friday. Thanks for reading!**


	42. Chapter 42 Should Have Stayed Dead Pt 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Not Beta'd**

**Chase POV**

_Same day Chase talked to Bella_

It was hard not biting Bella and leaving her in the woods to go back to the dog. I wanted to taste her and make her mine so badly but it wasn't the right time. When I made her mine, I wanted to make sure that Jacob Black was there to watch every minute of it. I had to see the devastation in his eyes when his imprint didn't want him anymore.

It would bring me nothing but pleasure when Jacob Black realized that his wellbeing meant nothing to Isabella. Once I bit her, her only desire would be to please me as much as I will want to please her. If the death of Jacob Black and everyone associated with him would bring me happiness then she would allow it without hesitation.

I decided that nothing Mia had to say to me would bring me down from my high. In two days, I would have Isabella and my thirst to kill Jacob Black would finally be quenched.

I continued to walk through the woods until I reached Mia, Jane and Alec. Mia had her usual look of disgust on her face because she hated speaking to me. She pushed off the tree that she'd been leaning on and walked toward me.

"Well, since you made it back either one of two things happened. You lost your nerve and didn't confront Isabella or our plan worked and she's too crazed with grief over her dead mother to care about killing you."

There were no words to describe how much I hated Mia. She was like a thorn that was permanently stuck in my ass. A sudden thought occurred to me. The next time I saw Bella maybe I would ask her for a favor before I bit her. I'd ask her to kill this bitch and also her minion side-kicks.

The more I thought about the death of Mia, the happier I became. It would be unfortunate to kill Jane, but her orders to protect Mia would override her lust for my body. She'd kill me without a bit of remorse.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Just thinking about my future."

Mia tilted her head to the side, folded her arms, and stared at me with her crimson eyes.

"I would suggest you stop smiling until after you have bitten Isabella and we are away from this place. Now tell me what happened."

I explained the physical condition Isabella was in when I found her and what happened once she knew I was there.

Mia stopped me and said, "So…you popped up in her room and all she did was say hello?"

"Yes."

Mia didn't say anything else so I assumed she wanted me to continue. I explained what happened once she got out of the shower and agreed to leave the house and find another place where we could talk. I told Mia about the physical pain I felt when I angered Bella for not wanting to leave through the window.

Mia allowed me to continue to talk until I told her about Isabella asking for my heart.

"Wait…could you repeat what you just said?"

"I told Isabella that I could give her the world. She asked if she could have my heart."

Mia took a quick glance at Jane and then looked at me and said, "What did you say?"

"I told Isabella that my heart was hers."

For the first time Mia smiled at me as she said, "I guess I underestimated the bond between you and your May Traverse. Keep doing whatever it is your doing; you seem to be getting the job done totally on your own without our help."

Mia's words were a compliment, but as she continued to chuckle to herself I couldn't help but feel that she wasn't laughing because something good was about to happen for me.

**Jacob POV**

_Day after Jacob and Bella reunite_

When Bella told me that she needed me to touch her nothing could have stopped me from giving her what she wanted because it was something that I needed just as badly.

It almost tore my heart to pieces seeing her in such pain. The wolf in me was angry because she'd brought the pain on herself because of her refusal to just come to me like she should have.

Once I touched her, I understood why she pushed me and everyone else away but there was no way something like this could happen again. What if another situation came up that caused her to be upset with me. I had to make sure that Bella never did something like this again. No matter what, I needed her to be willing to work things out with me and not shut me out and almost kill herself because of it.

We were going to talk about how her selfish choices could have gotten Charlie and herself killed. Bella never should have had to face Renee alone in that house but because she'd forced me to put distance between her and the wolves she was left unprotected.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Bella's truck pull up into the driveway. I didn't bother to get up but just waited for her to come into the house.

Once she put her purse and keys down, she came and sat next to me and laid her head on my shoulder.

"How was lunch with Nata?"

Bella sighed and said, "Alright, I guess."

Ever since yesterday I could tell, that Bella still had her guard up. She was lying and it bothered me because Bella never used to lie to me about anything.

I nudged her shoulder a little to let her know that I needed to get up. She lifted her head and leaned away from me. I stood up and walked into the kitchen. I came back with a plate of chicken salad, dressing and a bottled water. I placed it on the coffee table in front of Bella and said, "Here, eat this. I know that even though you were at the dinner with Nata you probably didn't eat."

She didn't bother to argue but instead picked up her fork and began to eat. I sat back down next to her and thought about how I wanted to start this conversation.

I turned my body toward her and said, "I'm going to talk and I need you to listen."

Bella nodded her head as she continued to eat her salad.

I rubbed my hand through my hair and shook my head in frustration. There was too much going on in my mind that needed to come out, but I didn't know how to formulate any of it into the right words.

After a few moments of silence, Bella put her fork down, placed her hand on my lap, and looked me in the eye. "I know there is so much you have to say to me. Please don't worry about hurting my feelings or saying something that will cause me to want to leave you again."

I pushed her hand away, stood up and turned my back to her.

"I'm not worried about how my words will affect you. I just want to make sure that I can make you understand how much you've hurt me."

I started pacing back and forth. I could see her out the corner of my eye watching me and attempting to brace herself for the tongue lashing she expected to get.

I turned toward her, pointed at her plate and said, "Eat."

Bella picked up her fork, and continued to eat her salad.

I went to the kitchen, got one of the dinning room chairs, brought it into the living room, and placed it in front of the small coffee table that was between Bella and me. I sat down and folded my arms across my chest as I looked at my imprint.

"I understand why you had to push me away. Even though it was pretty fucked up for both of us, it had to be done to push you to higher levels as a slayer. It also strengthened my ability to switch from Jacob to Alpha wolf when needed.

"I'm telling you this now and I need you to really hear what I'm saying. I don't give a damn who or what tells you to push me away. Next time you try it I will drag you back to this house kicking and screaming. Once I get you here, I will handcuff you to the bed and duck-tape your mouth shut until you come back to your senses.

"It's one thing for me to allow you to fight on the front lines with me and the rest of the pack, but there is no way in hell I will allow you to go up against Chase or any other vampire alone. You can go Slayer on me if you want to and throw as many wrenches at me as you want. Just remember it only takes a few minutes for me to heal, and when I do you'll get as good as you gave since you aren't so breakable anymore."

Bella placed her fork on the table, looked up at me and said, "Is that an Alpha command?"

"Don't be a smartass."

Bella closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "I'm being serious. I need to know, are you giving me an Alpha command?"

Bella was my wife and I have never commanded her to do anything. She was not a wolf that I had authority over. As her husband, I believed that it was my duty to look out for her best interest and step in when needed but to command her sounded wrong. I could feel the wolf within in me attempting to burst forward and speak for me because it was not pleased with my conflicting emotions with her question.

The wolf wanted me to say yes this was an Alpha command, but Jacob her husband and best friend wanted to say no it wasn't. As I looked at Bella, she was staring at me as if my words would be the life or death of her.

I placed my hands on my knees, leaned forward, and said very slowly, "Yes, Isabella Marie Black, I am giving you an Alpha command. No command from anyone or anything supersedes that you are never to push me away again unless I give you the okay to do so."

I stood up and walked around the coffee table. I took Bella's plate away and kneeled down in front of her. I roughly grabbed her by her chin and forced her to look into my eyes.

"Have I made myself clear Isabella?"

Bella exhaled and relief replaced the anxiety that had been pulsating from her. She smiled and said, "Yes, Jacob, you have made your position crystal clear. As my Alpha what you want supersedes any other command that I may receive."

"Do you have a problem with that, Bella?"

"No."

I let go of her chin and leaned back onto the couch. As I looked up toward the ceiling I said, "Sit back Bella. Our conversation is not done. I have some questions and I need you to give me honest answers."

Bella fell back on the couch and said, "Okay."

"When you came home and I asked you how was lunch with Nata you said alright, but that was a lie. Why did you go to see her since it obviously wasn't to hang out and eat lunch with a friend?"

I turned my head toward Bella and saw that she had her eyes closed tight and her lips closed so tightly together that they were almost non-existent. For some reason she looked like she was fighting to keep from answering my question.

Talking had never been an issue for us but now it was like pulling teeth to get Bella to confide in me. As the moments passed and she still didn't respond the anger within me surfaced and I yelled, "Answer the damn question Bella! Why did you go to the dinner to meet Nata?"

Without opening her eyes, Bella said, "I had a dream about Chase last night that bothered me, so I wanted Nata to interpret it for me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Silence

"Bella, answer the question."

"It was the same dream that I'd had about you and me in the kitchen that suddenly turned into Chase biting me."

"I don't understand. Why did you need to tell Nata about a dream you already had?"

Bella said nothing. This was just too fucking ridiculous. What in the hell was going on with her? Why all of a sudden I had to force her to answer my questions?

"Bella, from this moment on when I ask you a question no matter what it is you need to answer me immediately, no hesitating, and no thinking about it. Just answer the question!"

Tears started flowing down Bella's cheeks as she began to speak.

"Even though it was a dream that I'd had previously some of the events within the dream had changed. In this dream once, I realized that it was Chase holding me instead of you I didn't panic but instead I was turned on by the coldness that flowed throughout my body. Chase mocked you by saying that he was going to show you how I really liked it and then he bit me.

"The reason why I wanted to see Nata was because my reaction to this dream wasn't like the other dreams. I didn't wake up scared and horrified, but there was a part of me that entertained the thought of Chase biting me and making me his."

Now I understood why Bella didn't want to answer my questions. A part of me wanted to take back the command for her to be honest and tell me what I wanted to know. Hearing her say that it aroused her to have a leech touch her and bite her was a bit much for me to take. As I started running my hands through my hair roughly I said, "Let me get this straight. You dreamed that as Chase touched you, you liked it and when you woke up instead of being disgusted, scared, and angry you were turned on like you would be turned on if you had been dreaming of me instead?"

Bella nodded her head stiffly but said nothing.

"What did Nata have to say about the dream?"

"When someone has a recurring dream but parts about it are different that usually means that subconsciously the dreamer's thought patterns about the situation have changed. I have changed since the last time I'd had this dream."

"What does that mean Bella?"

Just as Bella was about to stand up, my arm shot to the side across her waist and I pushed her back into the couch.

"Don't get up. When you answer this question I want you next to me and looking me directly in the eyes."

Bella started to shake. It wasn't like before when she was refusing the call of the imprint but more like she was on the verge of having a panic attack. Her heart rate had quickened and she started struggling to catch her breath.

As her husband, I wanted to grab her and help calm her down, but the wolf wanted answers and he was dominate right now. Therefore, I waited a few more seconds to give her a chance to answer me.

"It means that there is a part of me that wants Chase to bite me. I don't understand it. When Renee was taken, I spent the majority of the time thinking about all the various ways I was going to kill Chase and any other vampire that had to do with my mother's kidnapping.

"He was going to die and I couldn't wait to see him again so that you and I could stand together and kill him for a second and final time. When he popped up in Nata's room, I couldn't do anything to cause him harm. My body wouldn't let me. Every time I had a harmful thought about him, my muscles locked up and I couldn't act on it.

"When he touched me in the woods I wanted to be disgusted and angry but all I felt was pleasure, and it confused the hell out of me. Jacob, I don't know what is happening to me. I love you and I want to be with you, but there is a part of me that wants Chase to bite me."

This conversation was messed up on so many levels. I was about to loose it big time. I knew I had to keep it together though because there had to be a big part of the picture that I was missing.

"What else did Nata tell you?"

"She told me that I had to deal with my desires concerning Chase. I told her that I didn't want to deal with my feelings for Chase because it somehow had to do with the destiny that was set before me. It disgusted me to feel this way about Chase. I accused her of not understanding what this was doing to me because she wasn't in this situation. Nata told me that I was in a very dangerous situation and if I made the wrong choices then it would lead me down the wrong path.

"She told me that everything that has happened up until this point was supposed to happen. She asked me had my slayer instincts led me in the wrong direction in the past and I told her they had not. She told me that I should not start questioning my instincts now and that the dream I just had was confirmation that I was still on course concerning my pre-determined destiny."

I flipped the coffee table over as I quickly stood up.

"How in the hell is the Alpha's Imprint turning into a fucking leech part of your destiny!"

"I wouldn't turn into a leech. I am Chase's May Traverse which the equivalent to an imprint. If he were to bite me then my slayer powers would be surrendered and I would become his human mate for life."

This was unbelievable. How could Bella keep something like this from me? This was a major issue and Bella hadn't told me.

"Who knows about this?"

"Just Nata and I."

"Why am I just now finding out about this?"

"I wasn't allowed to tell you."

"Explain!"

"You weren't allowed to know about this and you weren't supposed to find out about it until you were ready to. Anything that had to do with Chase and my destiny was blocked so that you wouldn't find out about it. Nata said that if I went against what she told me I would suffer the consequences."

"Have you felt any pain since you've told me any of this?"

Bella shook her head and said, "No, as a matter of fact I feel good and like everything is back to the way it should be."

"That's because it goes against the natural order of things for an imprintee to lie to their imprint. I have one more question and then we are done for tonight. What is supposed to happen between you and Chase?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is that my instincts are telling me to let him bite me. The slayer part of me wants it badly. He's supposed to meet me by the cliffs tomorrow."

"So…you were just going to go and let him bite you? What about me and your family?"

"I don't know Jacob! I have no idea what is supposed to happen once he bites me. All I know is that I have to muster up the strength to fight through it and continue to stay your imprint and a slayer!"

All of the anger left my body and I did go to Bella and wrap her in my arms. She didn't really want Chase. Either he had some type of vampire voodoo working her mind or somehow allowing him to bite her was going to benefit us in the end. The thought of him sinking his teeth into my imprint's neck caused me to shudder. I kissed Bella on the forehead and said, "Everything is going to be okay. We are going to make it through this together. I'm calling a pack meeting that will also include Nata and we will come up with a plan."

I let go of Bella and called Nata. She was closed mouth about the whole situation until I told her that I gave Bella an Alpha command to answer my questions. After that, she told me whatever I wanted to know.

Once I hung up the phone, I informed Bella that in an hour we'd be meeting at Embry's to come up with a plan. I hadn't noticed until that moment that Bella was holding something behind her back as she leaned against the wall.

"Jacob, did you mean it when you said that you'd handcuff me to the bed if I didn't follow your commands?"

Slowly she pulled her hand from behind her back. Dangling between her fingers was a set of Charlie's handcuffs.

"You told me to finish my salad, but I only ate half of it. I think that I need to be punished."

Bella's punishment took more than an hour. We were almost forty-five minutes late getting to Embry's house…

**Thanks for the reviews and story alerts. Bella and Chase next chapter. **

**Please read these stories they are great "Protector No More" by LuvinJ which can be found here, and Jacob Black N Pack, and "Bella's Sun" by JJ which can be found on Jacob Black N Pack.**


	43. Chapter 43 Should Have Stayed Deat Pt 2

**Jacob POV**

It was very difficult to focus as Bella and I walked into Embry's living room to join the pack that had been waiting for us. I was preoccupied with the fact that Bella liked being handcuffed _a lot._ We were going to have to do some shopping when this mess with Chase was taken care off.

As I stood before everyone, I shook my head a couple of times and spoke.

"First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you for everything you have done the past several weeks to help Bella and me. It would be nice to say that the worst is behind us but unfortunately, that is not the case.

"There has been a lot going on between Bella and I that I'm sure you are all curious about, but because of the severity of the situation that is about to come down upon us I won't be able to get into that right now. This meeting is strictly to talk about what our plan of action will be for tomorrow when Chase Cullen attempts to come and take my imprint away. Nata has requested to be the first to speak so she now has the floor. Please no questions or comments until she is done."

As I moved to the side, Nata came forward. Once she had everyone's attention she turned toward me and said, "Jacob, before I talk about Chase there is something that needs to be brought to everyone's attention concerning you and Bella. Would you be okay with that?"

I nodded my head and crossed my arms over my chest.

"As you all know this has been the first generation of shape-shifters to have such a young Alpha. Even though Jacob Black may look twenty-five, he is only sixteen years old. In a normal world there is no way Billy would have allowed him to get married at such a young age, but none of our lives are normal. Unfortunately, you all have been pushed into roles that no one would wish on their worst enemies.

"It's a pack advantage that you all share the same mind when you are in your wolf state. Everything you need to know is instilled in you. Months and possibly years aren't wasted with training and explaining the do's and why's of being a werewolf. The only thing that isn't taught is how to turn a boy into a man."

Nata turned toward me and gave Bella and me a sad smile. She reached out and patted one of my arms.

"Sometimes as parents the best way we can teach our children the correct ways to do things is to allow them to fumble through their own mistakes. That's what had to happen with you. As the Alpha' you have been equipped with the knowledge of how to lead the pack and fight vampires, but only experience can teach you how to be the right kind of Alpha to your imprint.

"There is a balance to everything that we do. When things are done correctly and in order, most situations that we run across work them selves out or a solution is quickly found and put into play. When the balance is out of whack all hell will break loose. That's what happened between the two of you. The first time you were presented with a situation to take control you backed off and allowed your imprint to dictate the outcome, which put your Alpha/Imprint relationship out of balance."

I started to frown as I tried to recall a situation where I let Bella go against something I wanted her to do. I ran my fingers through my hair as I said, "What situation are you talking about?"

"The time Renee was sick and Bella wanted to go to Port Angeles to get a book autographed for her mother. You told her no, she couldn't go because there wasn't someone from the pack available to accompany her. Bella pushed the issue until you backed off and allowed her to have her way and leave La Push unprotected. You should not have done that."

"She tried to knock my head off with a monkey wrench! The slayer within her was in control. I was confident that if she did run across a vampire she would have been able to protect Angela and herself."

Nata shook her head and said, "No Jacob, wrong answer! You allowed your imprint to leave La Push with another pack member's imprint unprotected. It doesn't matter that she could have kept them protected. What matters is that you told her that she couldn't go but instead she was able to dominate and force your hand to let her do what she wanted."

I could tell that Bella didn't like what Nata was saying. She was shifting from one foot to the next, eager to speak her mind.

"What the hell Nata? What are you trying to say that I've punked Jacob in the past?"

Nata didn't respond to what Bella said, but instead looked at me with a raised eye-brow. The look she gave me spoke volumes. I had asked that no one interrupt while Nata had the floor. My pack was quiet but my imprint was not.

I turned toward Bella and said, "I recall saying that while Nata had the floor no one was to ask any questions or make any comments. When she is done talking you will get your chance to speak."

Bella put her hands on her hips and said, "But this is bu…"

"Isabella Black, say nothing until Nata is done talking and don't you even think about pulling some slayer crap!"

If looks could kill, Nata and I would be dead right now. Bella was pissed. Her hands were balled into fists, as she walked away from me. She sat down in a chair next to Angela.

I looked toward Nata and said, "Please continue."

Nata started walking back and forth with her hands behind her back as she continued to speak.

"You were right to tell Bella not to go to Port Angeles, but the way you did it was wrong. Once you realized that a simple "I'm sorry Bella, but you can't go because it would put you in too much danger" didn't work then your Alpha voice should have stopped her dead in her tracks. The fact that she was able to continue to go forward with what she wanted meant that your Imprint/Pack authority was off balance."

Why were we having this discussion now? When I first turned into a wolf, she could have told me this stuff.

"Why are you just now telling me about this balance stuff?"

"Like I said before you are the first Alpha that is under the age of eight-teen. Honestly, I assumed it would be part of the information the great wolf transferred into your mind. It wasn't until the Port Angeles situation that I realized there was a problem. I talked to Billy, Quil Sr. and Harry about it. They all agreed that it would be best to allow you to work your way through that. It would get to a point that Bella would push your wolf too far and then you would set Bella straight.

"After Renee was captured I had hoped that you would have taken charge of the situation. Instead, you allowed Bella to dictate how things would go."

I roughly ran my hands over my face as I thought about all the pain the pack had gone through when Renee was taken by the leeches. It felt like my stomach had dropped to the ground when I realized that it was possible that my wrong choice may have been the cause of her death.

"Please tell me that Renee didn't sacrifice her life to teach me a lesson on how to dominate my imprint."

"No, don't worry; there wasn't anything you could have done differently to change what happened to Renee. We will talk about that another time."

I was so relieved to know that I wasn't the cause of Renee's death that I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. My relief was short lived though when Nata continued to speak.

"Your imprint should never have been out of your protection. It wasn't the other members of your pack's responsibility to watch over her. Your own instincts were attempting to tell you that, but you choose not to listen to them. No other wolf was allowed to interact with her at all. They had to keep their distance from her because your wolf was being territorial. It wasn't just because she is your mate, but because there was a real danger out there and it was your job as her imprint to keep her safe.

"Yes, I'm the one who told Bella to continue to not speak to you even after she had decided that she wanted to forgive you. I had to do it for several reasons. One was to attempt to kick-start your Alpha authority over your imprint to put things back into balance. You let a few harsh words prevent you from doing your job, which is to protect your imprint. Bella and Charlie could have died in that house when Renee and Edward Cullen showed up. You should have been there."

The words that Nata were speaking were a bunch of crap. I was so tired of being told-_you should have done this…it needed to be done that way because…it's your destiny_…blah,blah,blah.

"Nata, stop talking in riddles and just say what it is I need to do from now on."

"It doesn't work that way Jacob. Since it didn't come naturally for you, you had to be taught. Just like Bella has to learn how to be a slayer though the experiences that she has to go through.

"Maybe it was supposed to happen the way it did because Bella needed to come face to face with Chase alone. If you had been around it may not have happened. Believe it or not, I don't have all the answers. What I do know can change if the correct choices aren't made.

"The good news is that your Alpha/Imprint relationship is balanced now. It's not a struggle for you to use your Alpha voice with her like it would have been in the past."

"So what? Bella has no choices now. I say jump and she'll ask how high? That's not the type of person I want for a mate, and I know that she doesn't want someone that wants to rule over her"

Nata stood in front of me and looked up into my eyes.

"Is that how it is with your pack members? Do you rule over them and treat them like what they think and how they feel doesn't matter?"

"No."

"As long as the Alpha/Imprint relationship is balanced you will have nothing to worry about."

Nata turned away from me and walked toward Bella. She kneeled down in front of her and placed a hand tenderly on each side of her face.

"Bella, how did you feel when Jacob demanded that you answer his questions?"

Bella quickly turned her head toward me looking for permission to answer Nata. I nodded my head to let her know it was okay.

"I felt like a piece of me had been put back together."

"How did it just make you feel when Jacob demanded that you stop talking and wait until I was done?"

"I was angry at first but satisfied at the same time. I don't know how to explain it. I just know it needed to happen."

Nata stood up and let go of Bella's face. She backed away from her and continued to speak.

"Authority is important and needed in times of war. All it takes is for one person to buck against it and the results will guarantee disaster. Bella has always been known to be strong-willed and she will fight with all her might when she feels that her choices have been taken away. The fact that she is a Slayer has amplified that trait in her. Jacob, you were chosen to be her mate because only you have what it takes to help keep her balanced. Now that you have taken your rightful place in your relationship the only possible outcome for tomorrow is that Chase Cullen will die a very painful death."

**Bella POV**

The meeting went well into the night. Everyone had a ton of questions and everyone protested against me allowing Chase to bite me. The final decision was Jacob's. If he Alpha commanded that, I was not allowed to meet Chase at the cliffs alone, then that would have been the end of that plan.

It took him a long time to come to grips with his choice. Everyone was shocked at the words that came out of his mouth. I would go and meet Chase alone as planned. All of the imprints would be placed in one location to be protected by Paul and Jared. The rest of the pack would patrol La Push and Forks to make sure no other vampire activity was going on."

Once the meeting was over, we went home. Jacob said nothing the rest of the night. We held each other tightly as if this would be our last night together…

The next morning I woke up with dread lying heavily on my heart. I got up and took a shower. I quickly walked back into my bedroom and closed the door. In one quick movement, Jacob yanked my towel off and picked me up. He practically threw me onto the bed. He growled into my ear.

"I know that I can't go with you, but there's no way you'll go to him without a part of me."

He sucked and licked behind both my ears, down my neck, both my breasts, and my wrists. It felt different from anything that we had ever done together before. Every place his mouth touched burned and tingled. It felt good and I was aroused but he wasn't doing it to please me. Once he was done I said, "Did you just mark me?"

"Yes, I did. That bastard will know exactly who you belong too."

"Um…I though in order for you to mark me you would have to bite the back of my neck or something."

"I may turn into a wolf, but that doesn't mean I have to mark you like an animal. It doesn't work like that. It's about scent. My intent was to mark you so the hormones in my saliva give off a warning to all males to stay away from you."

"Are you hoping that will be enough to stop Chase?"

"I know it's not enough to stop Chase. He's a cocky bastard. All it will do is cause him to want to bite you more."

"I hope you know you're not making a lot of sense right now."

"Me marking you is throwing it in Chase's face that you are mine. I had you first in every way. He's going to want to confront me and flaunt that he has you now. That's why I did it to make sure he makes his way to me."

_One Hour Later…10:00 am_

I looked at my appearance in the mirror and decided I was ready to go. I remembered that Chase liked it when I looked nice so I made an extra effort to make sure my hair, make-up and clothes would be to his satisfaction.

I decided to wear the same outfit that I wore the night Jacob and I did the second part of our imprint ceremony. The only difference this time was that I had on dark red lipstick instead of the neutral color I usually wore.

_10:05_

I was out the door and on my way to the cliffs. Jacob had left the house as soon as I started to get dressed. Once I was half-way to the cliffs I could sense that Chase was around and he wasn't alone. I wasn't surprised that the slayer part of me didn't come to the surface but stayed dormant. It let me know that there was no immediate danger to me or anyone that I cared about.

As I continued to walk slowly, I began to feel the familiar cold sensation flow through out my body and even though I attempted to fight it, I started to like the coldness.

Slowly Chase came into view. As he studied me from head to toe, he had a smile on his face and a look of approval. He didn't move from his spot as he said, "You are beautiful Isabella. I like that you've taken the time to look good for me."

A chill quickly made its way down my body and I shivered slightly.

Chase tilted his head to the side and said, "Due to my over average temperature I don't feel the cold as a regular human would. I just saw you shiver. Are you cold Isabella?"

"The coldness I feel right now has nothing to do with the weather. When I'm around you this happens to me. You cause me to feel cold."

"Once you are bitten that should change."

"How do you know I'm not here to kill you?"

"If that were your goal I'd be dead already."

"Will you keep your word that no harm will come to my friends and family?"

"I can promise that I won't do anything that you don't want me to."

"That doesn't sound like a yes."

Chase stepped closer to me and said, "That's as close to a yes that I can give you Isabella."

More waves of coldness rocked my body. I was beginning to feel a little dizzy from the sensations it caused me. I had to fight to continue to think clearly. I felt the compulsion to ask one more question.

"Is you heart still mine if I want it?"

Chase gently placed his hand on my cheek and said, "Of course."

I closed my eyes and said, "Can I hear you say the words?"

"What words?"

"That your heart is mine?"

"Isabella, as of this moment my heart belongs to you."

I shook with anticipation, but this time it wasn't because of the cold that surrounded my body. I knew before I opened my eyes and saw Chase's reaction that the slayer within me was clawing her way to the surface.

I turned my neck to the side to give Chase a better view and said, "You may bite me now."

As he came closer I could hear a low growl come from his chest.

Chase hissed, "Where is he?"

I decided to play dumb so I said, "Where is who?"

"Your mutt, Jacob Black!"

"I told you that I had nothing to say concerning my imprint."

"He marked you! What I smell on you is not the normal skin-to-skin contact. What did he think? That marking you would stop me from taking you away from him? Is that all he has to fight me with?"

Before I could form a response, Chase had me backed up against a tree with his hand round my throat. He whispered in my ear, "See you on the other side Isabella."

All I felt in the next instant were teeth as they pierced the side of my neck and then darkness…

**I know, I know, I promised that I would have the fight in this chapter but my creative juices wouldn't allow me to go that way yet. However, I PROMISE the next chapter will be all war stuff. Sorry Chanelle, just hang in there one more chapter.**

**Thanks for the story alerts and reviews! If you would like to see pictures, check out Jacob Black N Pack. My screen name is dorme99(Melinda) or you can also visit Twilighted. My screen name is dorme99. **


	44. Chapter 44 Balanced Part One

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**What is May Traverse? **

May Traverse is the hybrid vampire equivalent of wolf imprinting. May Traverse is the _only _way that a hybrid vampire can have a human as a mate.

The scent of that particular human would cause an over powering physical lust for their body that the hybrid would not be able to refuse. Deciding to fight the May Traverse would eventually cause the hybrid to go insane.

The hybrid's venom would change. Instead of being a poison to the human's body, it would cause them to experience the same type of physical attraction that the hybrid had for them. The human wouldn't change into a vampire, but they would stop aging. The human wouldn't be immortal. They could still be killed just like any other human. It would take a little bit more to hurt them, but they would still be considered totally human.

Female humans that are mated due to May Traverse would be able to give birth without dying in the process, because the females pregnancy hormones would equip her body to handle the pregnancy intact.

Of course, these rules apply to the typical human. Unfortunately, Slayers aren't typical humans. Slayers have anti-venom flowing through their bloodstream. If a full-blown vampire were to bite them, it would not change them into a vampire. What effect would the venom of a hybrid vampire have on a Slayer?

Everyone seems to be concerned about what would happen to Bella if Chase bit her. Maybe the real question should be what would happen to Chase once Isabella's blood mixed with his?

**The Alpha Jacob Black POV**

_**10:20 am**_

The pack had been on patrol since five o'clock this morning except for me. I didn't leave Bella's side until she started getting dressed.

Once I joined the pack I gave instructions that everyone was to stay in wolf form so that we'd be able to stay in communication with each other at all times. If the scent of a leech as detected or a leech was spotted, they weren't allowed to give a wolf howl but instead, mind communication only. This would give us the element of surprise. All wolves were to stay down wind when possible and hidden in the bushes.

Everyone knew that we were at a disadvantage because the hybrid had the ability to make himself invisible, and it was safe to assume that he could hide his vampire family also.

I noticed that everyone attempted to keep their thoughts to themselves. No one was happy about my choice to allow Bella to meet with Chase. I was okay with that because I hated the thought of my Bella with that leech alone.

Jared and Paul were with the imprints. Sam was with Seth, Brady and Colin in Forks, Quil and Embry were with me patrolling La Push. We'd been running for a while before Embry finally had the nerve to ask me the question that everyone else was wondering also.

"_Jake, how could you do it?"_

"_Do what, Embry?"_

"_Send Bella alone to face a leech that wants to bite and claim her?"_

"_Because I had too."_

"_You're the Alpha. It was up to you to decide and you could have told Bella that she would not meet Chase. We could have found him as a pack and killed him like you and Sam did before. This time we know not to leave his ashes behind."_

Embry's solution seemed so simple and it's what I had wanted to do, but sometimes the logical answer isn't the practical answer.

"_I agree with you, Embry but making that choice would have been made out of my fear of Bella getting hurt or killed. I had to think past that and find what would be the best thing for Bella and the rest of us._

"_I thought back to the first time Chase attacked Bella. She hated him and she fought him as fiercely as she could. She managed to weaken him and if his family had not rescued him, she would have killed him unintentionally. _

"_Even though the Slayer within her was just starting to stir it wanted the bloodsucker dead. Chase's powers had no affect on Bella. My imprint can cause a vampire to explode just by thinking about it, yet when given the opportunity to kill Chase this last time the Slayer part of Bella wouldn't allow it._

"_There's something that needs to happen that we don't know about that involves Chase biting Bella. The thought of that leech's teeth tearing into my imprint's neck makes me sick, but I just know it has to happen."_

I could feel that Quil was trying very hard to keep his thoughts hidden, so whatever he was thinking must have been bad.

"_Speak your mind, Quil."_

"_I was just wondering…Since you've made some wrong choices concerning Bella in the past how do you know that what you've chosen this time is the right choice?"_

Quil was right. How could I know for sure that I was making the right choice? I had to believe that I learned from my mistakes and if I wanted to be a great Alpha to the pack and my mate I wouldn't be able to second guess every decision that I made.

"_No one can afford for me to live in the past with my mistakes. I have enough faith in myself to believe that the choices I make from now on will be the right ones."_

Our dialogue was interrupted when Seth picked up the scent of a leech. I felt myself tremble slightly at the thought of finally coming face to face with my enemies once again. This time there would be no talking, but instead we would tear each Cullen apart one by one.

The scent was very fresh and it wasn't a Cullen. I was concerned that Seth was alone.

"_Seth where exactly are you?"_

"_I'm in the woods behind Newton's"._

"_Sam and Colin how far are you from Seth?"_

Sam and Colin were already running toward Seth. Sam answered first.

"_I'm about three minutes away."_

I could feel the fear leaking from Colin's mind as he was running. He was worried about his friend and the possibility of him running into a leech by himself. I know that Colin was one of our younger wolves but this was a matter of life and death, he would have to stay focused.

"_Colin, how far are you from Seth."_

"_I'm five minutes away."_

It was good that Seth wouldn't be alone for too long. I would have been more comfortable if it had been Sam, Embry, or Quil that had run across the scent instead of fifteen-year-old Seth.

"_Okay Seth, stay where you are. Sam and Colin are almost there."_

I felt a sudden wave of adrenaline as Seth quickly turned his head to the left and directly in front of him was a blond-haired vampire with red eyes. She looked like a young child dressed for a Halloween party. She smirked slightly as she said, "Oh look, an over-sized puppy. Why are you out here all alone? Don't you know it's not safe to go wondering alone in the forest? You never know what creatures may be out here waiting to kill you."

I didn't know what was more crippling the sudden excruciating burning that engulfed all of our bodies at once or the ear piercing screams that I endured in my mind from each one of my pack members. It took control and energy for a shape-shifter to stay in their wolf form when they were injured. If the pain or stress were too much for the wolf then they would shift back to human form.

There were two reasons for this. The main reason was so the rest of the pack wouldn't be weakened and the other reason was our quick healing abilities. It was necessary to be in human form in order to heal properly.

The pain suddenly was gone and I knew it had to be because Seth had phased out.

"_Sam, get to Seth now!"_

"_I'm here! I don't see him though. She must have taken him."_

Shit, shit, shit. How were we supposed to fight a vampire that could burn the hell out of us?

"_Sam, when Colin gets there you have to find Seth. We can't just let the leech take him away."_

Before my mind could form, another thought as the wind blew in our direction a strong scent of bloodsucker attacked my nose. My body tensed as I growled in the direction of the smell. Quil and Embry were standing on either side of me and they too were growling.

"_What the hell is that?"_

I focused on what Embry was looking at and said, _"It looks like some kind of fog."_

"_Yeah, I know but Dude, why is it only moving toward me and Quil?"_

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing on edge. What ever that was coming toward my friends was dangerous.

"_Back away from it, don't let it touch you."_

As we started to move away from the fog, it continued to move toward Embry and Quil. The faster we moved back the faster the fog came until Quil and Embry were surrounded by it.

**Chase POV**

_10:10 am_

I felt a tug on my shield and quickly realized that Isabella had sensed my presence. Instead of waiting until she weakened, me enough to take my shield down, I partially brought it down enough for her to see only me. It wasn't time for her to met Jane, Mia and Alec.

I was very pleased with the way she looked this morning. There was life back in her complexion and she looked incredibly sexy. I didn't move toward her but waited for her to come to me instead. Once we were face to face I said, "You are beautiful, Isabella. I like that you've taken the time to look good for me."

Isabella started to shiver. It took me a moment to realize that she was just a human and that she could be cold.

"Due to my over average temperature I don't feel the cold as a regular human would. I just saw you shiver. Are you cold, Isabella?"

"The coldness I feel right now has nothing to do with the weather. When I'm around you this happens to me. You cause me to feel cold."

I told her that once she was bitten she wouldn't feel the cold anymore. Isabella was still concerned about her family and friends. I told her enough of what she needed to hear to keep her calm. I would be glad when her concern for them would start to fade once I bit her.

Of all the things, that I could give Isabella all she still wanted from me was my heart. She was giving me her life so the least I could do was give her the one thing she asked for. I told her of course my heart was still hers if she wanted it.

I was a little put off when Isabella turned her neck to the side and told me that I could bite her. She always did things that a human shouldn't do. She was treating this as if it was an everyday occurrence. When the moment arrived, I anticipated having to hold her down, maybe knocking her out but instead, she fearlessly turned her neck toward me and _invited_ me to bite her. A still small voice was telling me to walk away from Isabella Black while I still had the chance, but I was in too deep to walk away now.

As I started to come closer, that was when I smelled it. Isabella had recently been marked by that mutt. The anger instantly flooded my body as I thought about what Jacob Black was attempting to do.

I hissed, "Where is he?"

Isabella's eyes opened wide and she said, "Where is who?"

"Your mutt, Jacob Black!"

"I told you that I had nothing to say concerning my imprint."

"He marked you! What I smell on you is not the normal skin-to-skin contact. What did he think? That marking you would stop me from taking you away from him? Is that all he has to fight me with?"

I was too angry to think about my abrupt actions. My slight desire to make this as painless for Isabella as possible faded, as the thirst to kill Jacob Black grew stronger.

I quickly grabbed Isabella by her neck and backed her up against a tree. I whispered in her ear, "See you on the other side, Isabella."

I sunk my teeth into the side of Isabella's neck and she instantly went limp in my arms. I had never allowed myself the opportunity to wonder what her blood would taste like. I could never have imagined something so utterly mind-blowing as how the taste of Isabella's blood made me feel. Every part of me felt truly alive for the first time in my life.

This was different then when I fed off humans. I wasn't consumed with wanting to drain her to quench my thirst. Her blood just made me _feel good_. I made a conscious effort to listen to her heartbeat to let me know when I had to stop. As her heart started to beat erratically, I knew it was time to let go before I took too much.

I no longer had to worry about Isabella causing me any harm, so I let go of her neck and brought my shield down completely. I looked at Jane and Alec and said, "Kill them all except for Jacob Black, he's mine."

**Isabella POV**

I couldn't move. No matter how much I tried every muscle in my body was locked. I couldn't even get my eyeballs to move behind my closed eye-lids but my sense of touch and hearing worked fine.

I felt numb and empty. Chase was holding me bridal style with my face pressed up against his chest. For the first time his nearness wasn't causing me to feel cold but instead I felt nothing. He was walking through the woods and talking to another vampire.

"Chase don't you think it would have been a bit more wise to wait until after Isabella woke up before you sent Jane and Alec on a killing spree?"

"The worst part was convincing Isabella to allow me to bite her. You know as well as I do that since my venom courses through her veins now she is mine and will want nothing but my happiness. Killing those mangy dogs will make me happy. If she is mad, she'll get over it. It's not like she has the power to kill me anymore."

The word kill echoed through my mind as if it should mean something, but the desire to kill Chase was gone. In its place was an abyss of nothingness. There was no love or devotion; it was as if Chase had drained all of my emotions and my ability to feel anything. Chase continued to walk through the forest and I wondered where he was taking me.

"Chase, shouldn't you be concerned that Isabella is still unconscious? Have you paid any attention to her heartbeat since we started walking? Her heart is beating excessively fast. It should have gone back to normal by now. I think you may have either drunk too much from her or her body is not reacting well to your venom."

"When Jacob Black is dead I will worry about Isabella's well-being."

"But she's your mate, shouldn't her well-being come first?"

"Get out of Wonderland, Mia. When have I ever put someone before what I wanted? I have eternity to take care of her. Get a love life of your own and stop worrying about mine."

Those words should have hurt me or caused anger but they meant nothing to me. Chase came to an abrupt halt and yelled, "Why don't I smell blood and death? Why are they still alive?"

Chase was trying to massacre everyone that I loved and the Slayer within me seemed to be gone. Why couldn't I move? I didn't believe it was Chase causing my inability to move because he was under the impression that I was just sleeping.

My family and friends needed me and I felt no desire to help them. Maybe we were all wrong and allowing Chase to bite me was a mistake.

**Chase POV**

When this was over, I was going to find a way to kill Mia. She was getting on my last fucking nerve. I did not need her to tell me how to deal with my May Traverse.

I continued to walk through the woods away from the cliffs. I knew that Jacob Black wouldn't stray too far away from Isabella. It was time to show him that not even death could keep me away from what I wanted. He may have won the battle but I would win the war.

I stopped once the wolves came into view. I was sure once this whole situation was over I would find humor with the site before me but for now I was pissed that my instructions had not been followed. Jane was in the process of torturing Jacob Black.

"Jane, I requested that you _kill _the wolves. Why are they still breathing?"

Jane turn toward me and said, "You don't have the authority to tell me what to do. I was given strict orders that I was allowed to cause as much pain as I wanted, but I could not kill them."

"Who told you that?"

Jane didn't answer but instead smiled slightly and looked toward Mia."

I slowly turned my head in Mia's direction and said, "Who gives you the authority to decide when and if the wolves die? That was the whole point of you, Jane and Alec coming, to help me take Isabella away from Jacob Black and kill the wolf pack."

Mia had her arms folded across her chest as she stared at me with irritation.

"I suggest you listen to what I have to say very carefully because I won't repeat myself. I'm not your weak-minded father, Edward. Everything that has happened up until this point has occurred because I allowed it. You have no power or authority over me, Jane or Alec.

"You are nothing to me and I detest that you exist. I've let you get away with a lot these past weeks but I've had enough. You want the pack dead then your going to have to work for it. Kill their Alpha first, and then Jane and Alec will destroy whoever you want them to."

There was nothing worse then a bitter vampire mad at the world. I would have to do things her way for now so I said, "Fine."

Alec's gift was the best weapon in war. He had the ability to render groups of any type of creatures powerless to see or feel anything. That is what he was doing to the pack now. They were all captured in a fog helpless to defend themselves from attack.

Jane had brought her focus back on Jacob Black. It brought me great pleasure to see him screaming and writhing in pain on the ground.

She turned toward me and said, "He's all yours. I've softened him up for you."

Instantly, he stopped convulsing but his body was shaking badly. The right thing for me to do would have been to attack him while he was weak and unable to defend himself, but when I killed Jacob Black I wanted it to be because _I_ brought him to his knees.

I dropped Isabella's limp body to the ground, stepped over her, and walked toward my enemy. I stood over him and said, "It's too late. You might as well just let me kill you."

I bent down as close as I could to the mutt's ear and whispered, "You took my life by snapping my neck, but I took your reason for living by biting your imprint and making her mine. I can still taste her blood on my lips. You failed to protect her and now she is mine."

The mutt continued to shake but this time it wasn't from pain but anger. I expected him to shift to his wolf form but instead he slowly got onto his knees and then stood up to his full height.

He was angry and that thrilled me almost as much as drinking Isabella's blood.

"Chase, you should have stayed dead. When Bella and I are done with you, you will be pleading for death again."

Jacob's words were so hilarious. What planet was he living on? His back up was powerless to help him and his imprint was no longer a Slayer. It was three vampires against one wolf. I didn't hold back the laughter that shook my body. Jacob Black was a lovesick fool.

"What's so funny?"

I had been so distracted by the mutt that I hadn't realized that Isabella had woken up and was standing behind me.

"The Alpha of La Push seems to be under the impression that you still give a damn about him. How about you set him straight and tell him where your loyalty now lies."

I could hear Isabella slowly walk closer to me. She picked up my hand and said, "It lies with the one who marked me."

Her response caused a slow smile to cross my face until I saw that her response didn't affect the mutt the way I thought it would. Instead, he continued to look at her with nothing but love and adoration like her proclamation was for him.

I had to wipe that look off his face so I said, "It would be in your best interest to not forget where you are and what we are capable of, so no sudden movements."

I roughly yanked Isabella toward my chest. I spun her around so that her back was pressed up against my chest. I held her securely against me by snaking my arm around her stomach. With my other hand, I grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her head back.

As Isabella gasped, Jacob Black fought with all his might not to phase or move forward. There was a consistent growl coming from his chest.

"Just so that there is no misunderstanding about what Isabella said concerning being marked, she meant me. If she didn't she wouldn't allow me to do this to her."

I wanted to kiss her but I didn't want to accidently get too distracted so instead, I nipped the tip of Isabella's earlobe and then proceeded to lick down the length of her neck until I reached her collar bone.

I never took my eyes off Jacob Black and he never took his eyes off Isabella. His expression went from love and adoration, to pain and anger, to nothing. I decided to raise the stakes a little so I slowly raised the hand that was around her stomach up toward her chest. I was about to cover one of her breasts with my hand when Jacob Black roared, "Enough! Isabella Marie Black, come to your Alpha now!"

Isabella tensed in my arms. She didn't pull away from me but she wasn't relaxed in my arms anymore.

"What do you think you're doing mutt? Get it through your thick head you and Isabella are over. You are going to die today and she won't shed a tear about your death."

He didn't reply to what I said but instead continued to look at Isabella and said, "It's time, you've gotten what you needed. Now it's time to end this. Come back to me."

This time Isabella did pull away from me. For a moment, I was unable to react because I couldn't believe she was listening to him. Once I came to my senses, I quickly grabbed her and yanked her back toward me.

"You don't take orders from that mutt anymore. You are mine and you will stay by my side."

A jolt of electricity went through my body as Isabella said, "Let go of me now, leech."

I snatched my hand away from her and started to back away as she continued to walk toward Jacob Black. I realized that Mia might have been right. I should have waited until she was conscious before I started my revenge.

I looked toward Mia and of course, she was smiling at me. I said, "What the hell are you smiling at? We are about to die and you think it's funny?"

Mia tilted her head to the side and said, "Actually, you are about to die and yes, I do find that to be funny."

The atmosphere of the forest began to change as well as the weather. The wind was starting to pick up and the sky had darkened with gray angry clouds. I turned toward Isabella and felt the overwhelming dread as I saw her eyes going from the beautiful dark brown I craved to bright yellowish orange of the Slayer.

Isabella wasn't looking at me but at Alec instead. She had her hands balled up into fists and she said in a very quiet, calm voice, "Release them now."

Without hesitation, Alec did as she requested. It wasn't until that moment that I realized how utterly stupid I had been. If the Volturi followed her instructions, then that meant she really was a force to be reckoned with.

I looked toward to wolves that were spread through out the forest with dazed horrified expressions on their faces. Jacob Black yelled out, "Phase back to human form and get into formation. Immediately, each wolf did as they were told and instead of a pack of dogs, standing behind Jacob Black it was a pack of naked, shaking, angry men.

For a moment, there was silence. I knew better then to believe that Jane, Alec, and Mia were going to come to my rescue. Mia made it clear that they planned to leave me high and dry. What I didn't understand was why she was so confident that she wasn't going to encounter the same fate as myself.

"How do you feel, Chase?"

Isabella's question took me off guard. It made no sense for her to be asking me that.

"I'm a bit pissed that me biting you didn't affect you."

Isabella smiled and said, "You biting me did affect me. Just not they way you may have wanted it to. It is obvious that your vampire friends lied to you about May Traverse and what a Slayer is.

"As a slayer my job is to kill all vampires that have the potential to cause harm to my family and friends. When the Cullens came to live in Forks, their intentions were to live among humans without causing any of us any harm so my slayer trait was dormant. It wasn't until you attacked me that my powers manifested.

"Unfortunately for you no matter what your intentions would have been toward me the outcome would have been the same. As a hybrid, you are an automatic threat. You have the ability to blend in too easily into human society. So even if you had been a good respectful vampire before you came to Forks once the May Traverse overtook you, you would have still come after me, just maybe not as aggressively."

How did she know so much about the vampire world? She was telling me things that the Volturi hadn't bothered to tell Edward and I.

"How do you know all of this?"

"It's another Slayer gift. I don't read minds but my instincts tell me things. It a defense mechanism so that I know the best way to kill the vampires I come across."

"If your job is to kill me then why did you allow me to bite you? All that time you were away from the mutt was just a trick to get me to think you were vulnerable enough for me to come after you?"

"Before this moment I didn't know why I needed you to bite me. I just knew it had to happen. As far as tricking you into thinking that Jacob and I were not together, that just sort of happened."

"Why would you want my venom?"

"Balance."

I started to feel light headed and my chest was starting to hurt. I felt wetness around my mouth and realized that blood was flowing from my nose.

I turned toward Isabella and said, "What are you doing to me?"

Isabella grabbed Jacob Black's hand and started to walk toward me, "Killing you slowly."

Once we were face-to-face, Isabella reached out, ran her finger down the side of my cheek, and said, "When you verbally said that I had your heart that was a way of submitting yourself to me. You gave me something that you've never allowed anyone else access to. It weakened you, which in turn weakened your venom. In addition, you were right to be pissed that I invited you to bite me. Slayer 101, never let a Slayer grant you permission to bite them.

"When it isn't forced the Slayer is able to keep their powers. Just so you know, Slayer blood is like a poison to a vampire. A regular vampire would just turn to stone, but a hybrid's internal organs liquefy. Your lungs are going to fill with blood and your heart will simply explode. It could take hours for you to die. As much as I would love to see that I have better things to do with my time so…I'll let my Alpha deal with you as he sees fit."

I started to cough and was horrified to see that I was coughing up blood. Behind me, I could hear Mia, Alec and Jane moving around. I'm sure my blood was awakening their bloodlust.

Jacob Black must have sensed it also because he said, "You will not suck him dry on my land."

Mia hissed but said nothing.

Jacob grabbed me by my neck and said, "Like I said before, you should have stayed dead."

He pushed me down to my knees and it was like déjà. I closed my eyes and waited for the end to come. Isabella got down on her knees in front of me and placed one of her hands on either side of my cheeks. As soon as we made contact, I tried to pull away from her.

"It hurts doesn't it? It's nothing compared to what you did to my mother."

Pain was the only word going through my mind as she continued to touch me. I suddenly started to shake as my heart felt like to was being squeezed to nothing. This time Jacob Black turned my neck slowly as he twisted it to disconnect it from my body it was an eternity before there was nothing left but darkness.

**Bella POV**

I didn't let go of Chase's face until Jacob had it completely disconnected from his body.

I turned toward the three vampires that stood in the background that looked smug and unconcerned. I knew that they were sent to make sure that Chase and Edward did not kill any of us and they knew that his bite would not affect me.

They wanted me to kill Chase and Edward Cullen. My thoughts were interrupted when I sensed that several more vampires were on their way. I turned toward Jacob and said, "There are more vampires coming. They are not a threat, but we need to be ready just in case."

Jacob gave the pack the signal and they all burst into wolves in an instant.

Slowly three very old looking vampires walked through the trees. I found myself drawn to the once that had blond hair and looked the youngest. They stopped once they were a few feet away from us. The blond-haired vampire took a step forward and said, "Hello, Isabella my name is Caius and I'm the one who turned Brianna Smith into the Slayer in your family line."

**Okay, Chase is dead, dead, dead for real this time. There is nothing that will bring him back, I promise. There is one more chapter and then the epilogue. I really hope that you liked this chapter. Thank you for your reviews and story alerts. You guys are the best. **


	45. Chapter 45 Balanced Part Two

**Warning…There is a lot of dialogue in this chapter.**

**Bella POV**

Slowly three ancient looking vampires glided through the trees. I found myself drawn to the one that had blonde hair and looked the youngest. They stopped once they were a few feet away from us. The blonde-haired vampire took a step forward and said, "Hello, Isabella, my name is Caius. I'm the one who turned Brianna Smith into the Slayer in your family line."

Caius continued to move forward and that's when I realized his hair wasn't blonde but more of a platinum color. His eyes were a deep dark red with a whitish film crusted over the pupils. I didn't realize that vampires had the ability to look old.

Jacob growled next to me and said, "That's close enough leech."

Caius stopped and said, "We have answers to all of the questions that you must have, but first I believe introductions are in order."

Caius turned slightly to his right and said, "Aro and Marcus as well as I are the leaders of the Volturi."

He turned to his left and said, "Jane, Alec, and Mia are a part of the Volturi Guard. The Volturi rule the vampire world."

Jacob pulled me slightly behind him as he said, "We don't need a vampire history lesson. All we need to know is why you are here."

Caius frowned and pressed his lips together for a moment before he responded to Jacob's question.

"We are here Jacob Black, because I wanted to see first hand what a slayer of mine could do when she was given full reign with the help of shape-shifters."

If Jacob hadn't been concerned about leaving my side Caius's last comment would have caused Jacob to end the leech's life. Instead, he roared.

"She does not belong to you, leech!"

Caius smiled and said, "Let me rephrase my previous comment, a slayer that I created."

As Jacob attempted to calm his trembling body, he took a deep breath and said, "Explain."

"It's all about balance. Think about the spider. Its sole purpose is to kill insects that land in its web. Without the existence of spiders, the world would be overpopulated with insects.

"It's the same with the slayer. The slayer exist to ensure there isn't an over population of vampires."

What the hell did spiders have to do with vampires, slayers and werewolves?

"Don't look so confused Isabella, it's quite simple. There are slayers statically placed all over the word. When there's e an over population of vampires in that area the slayer wipes them out little by little."

Caius raised his hand and said, "How about I explain from the beginning. Once you know everything then I am sure all of this will make more sense to you.

"The Volturi have been in power for a little over three thousand years. Within that time, we have obtained a very large guard. Some of them have the responsibility of guarding Volterra where we live, but others are scouts. It's their job to travel the world in search of vampires that are violating vampire laws, humans that have the potential to become powerful vampires, and areas that could benefit from having a slayer living in that particular area.

"As you are well aware vampires drink human blood, so unless a human is bitten to be changed into a vampire they die once the vampire is done drinking from them. It was discovered that if a human is bitten but the venom is sucked out before it gets a chance to spread throughout the body the human could be saved from death or from becoming a vampire.

"No matter how thoroughly the venom is sucked out there will always be a small amount left behind. Because of this, the DNA of the human is changed. They develop an anti-venom reaction. They also gain the ability to kill vampires. Only members of the Volturi are allowed to turn humans into slayers. If it is found out that a human was made a slayer without our consent the vampire is executed that did the transformation as well as the slayer that was created."

"Isabella, I've been known to hunt werewolves and I was told by one of my scouts that there were werewolves in La Push, Washington. Children of the Moon are usually nomadic in nature, so I found it strange that there were a pack of them living in one place. I didn't come to investigate right away. By the time I did come, there were no werewolves. I realized immediately that what our scout saw was a shape-shifter and not a werewolf."

Hold up! He couldn't mean howl at the full moon, silver- bullet werewolf. I needed more clarity about that before he tried to move on to something else.

"Wait, are you telling me that there is more out there in the world besides, shape-shifters and vampires? There are really _werewolves _out there?"

"Yes, you are correct. The werewolves that you see portrayed in the movies is pretty much fact. They are vile creatures that I've spent most of my lifetime eliminating. They are almost extinct thanks to us. Oh, Isabella, you'd be surprised to know exactly what else lurks out there in the world."

I started to bite my bottom lip. I felt overloaded with information. Jacob could sense my discomfort so he said, "Finish this so we can be done with you."

"Like I said before I had been told of werewolf activity in La Push, Washington. I came to investigate. This part of the United States was known for a lot of vampire activity so it had been decided to place a slayer here also. I ran across Brianna Smith and her family. She was a cute, shy human that was a little too perceptive for her own good. Her family was traveling cross-country to meet up with family they had in Forks. Over time, we'd discovered that creating a slayer was best done when they were in their teen years. Brianna was the perfect age and the fact that she was very attached to her family was even better. It's important for a slayer to experience the loss of those she loves. It intensifies their drive to kill and protect. That's why your mother was taken. Mia deviated from the plan though. Renee Swan was supposed to be slaughtered and dropped off on your front porch, not turned into a vampire for you to kill. "

A cold chill crept down my back as he talked about my mother as if her death was no more important than flicking a piece of lent off his shirt.

"There was no need to gain a humans trust in order to change them into a slayer. However, back then I found it entertaining to do so. For a while, I adopted a vegetarian diet and only feed off the blood of animals. As you know when this is done, it turns our eyes an amber color instead of red.

"This makes us more approachable. I met Brianna's family on the side of the road. They were very trusting and invited me to accompany them on their journey to Forks. We were on the rode for two days before one of my guards ambushed us one night and together we slaughtered the whole family.

"We saved Brianna for last. The vampire that bites the victim cannot be the one to suck out the venom. If they try, it won't work the human will transform into a vampire. Therefore, once my guard bit her I sucked the venom out.

"Usually, slayers are created in Volterra and once they are trained they are then placed back where we found them. Brianna was the first one created in the area she would protect. We wanted to see how well her powers would work if she had no guidance."

It made me sick to my stomach how much enjoyment the leech seemed to get from talking about killing my ancestors. He told this story like real people weren't involved. I was so done with looking at this old-as-dirt vampire. It was time to end this. They may not be here to harm us right now, but they were dangerous and needed to die.

The leech continued to talk as if he couldn't see and feel the hate building up within me…

"That's why I left her with the Quileute. I had hoped because of their knowledge of vampires they would have been around to help guide Brianna once her powers became active.

"I'll never forget the fear that the Quileute had when they saw me standing on their beach with a young girl hanging limply in my arms. They were confused because my eyes weren't the typical red that their legends talked about. There was no mistaking what I was because it was a bright sunny day and my vampire skin sparkled in the sunlight. I told them that I meant their tribe no harm. A nomad vampire had attacked the young girl's family, and they'd all been slaughtered except for the child.

"I claimed that I managed to kill the other vampire but not before the young girl was bitten. They were told that I sucked the venom out of her system, which would cause her to remain human. If any vampire encountered Brianna and posed a threat to her or her family, she would gain the ability to fight them off. The effects of the venom would continue for generations to come.

"The scent of her blood would become a beacon to cold ones from around the world. It would draw them in, but once they attempted to kill her or someone she loved, she would drain them of their powers and kill them.

"I explained that her family had been on their way to Forks to live with some relatives. Once I placed Brianna on the ground, I disappeared into the ocean.

"The Quileute kept Brianna on the reservation for three days to make sure she would not change. She was then taken to her relatives in Forks."

Why did this leech still have the ability to talk? They should all be dead. I was one with my Slayer and we both agreed that these leeches needed to die. It had only taken a mere whisper of a thought to kill Edward Cullen. It didn't look like I'd drained their powers at all. As I was thinking, Caius continued to talk.

"I was disappointed when I realized that the Quileute handed Brianna over to her family so quickly. I'd hoped that they would have told her about their legends and warned her about the danger that would be coming for her the rest of her family. Fortunately, when vampires did cross Brianna's path she was able to defend her loved ones and kill them.

"There was a coven that lived in Alaska back in the early 1980's and 1990's. They lived a vegetarian lifestyle like the Cullens. They became very found of a human that they'd come in contact with and treated her as if she was a member of their family.

"It went against vampire rules when this coven exposed what they were to the human and didn't change her. One day a nomad and its mate ran across the human while it was on the Denali Coven's land and attempted to attack her. A fight broke out between the nomads and the Denali's. The female nomad was killed, so her mate swore to avenge her death.

"The nomad made a newborn vampire army and planned to wipe out the Denali Clan. The problem with this was that it goes against vampire law to make these types of army's because newborn vampires are hard to control. They are ruled by their bloodlust and have been known to bring too much attention to themselves. Once we found out about the situation the human, nomad, newborns and Denali's were all destroyed.

"Since there had been so much vampire activity in your slayer territory, it triggered a female birth in your family line. Once you were born, it triggered the wolf gene in the Quileute tribe."

I was beyond having the ability to listen to this ancient leech any longer. All my mind kept reciting repeatedly was "kill them now". My powers weren't having any type of affect on them and I didn't understand why.

Caius smiled at me with his demonic red eyes and said, "Your thirst to kill me is so strong I can taste it. Let me put your fears to rest my dear. You have not lost your powers. Under normal circumstances we would all be a pile of ash right now, but you must realize that we've been the rulers of the vampire world for over three thousand years for a reason."

He raised his hands above his head and said, "There are a few more members of our Volturi Guard I would like you to meet."

Instantly, two more vampires appeared. Confusion clouded my mind because I had not detected their presence at all.

"Like I said before sweet Isabella, we've been in power for over three thousand years because we know what we are doing. Vampire Slayers could exist if there wasn't a way for us to control them."

He looked toward his left and pointed to a young looking black haired female vampire with a slight olive undertone to her pale skin. Her eyes were also red like the rest of the Volturi leeches.

"This is Sacha, and she is a Slayer Blocker. As long as she is present, you are powerless. The vampire on my right is Gianna and she is a shield."

At that moment, I realized that we were truly in over our heads. We were at the mercy of these leeches. All I could think about was Charlie, Billy and the rest of our family and friends. It was a strong possibility that we were all going to die today.

I took a deep breath and said nothing. Up until this moment the only out come I had seen for us was victory. Now I felt defeated and like I'd failed. I stared into the eyes of this creature and waited for whatever was going to happen next.

"We are not here to destroy you, Isabella. Killing Chase Cullen was a test that you passed effortlessly. I've given you the information that you needed to know. There are a few rules that you are expected to follow and as long as you do, you won't have any further contact with us.

"You are not allowed to hunt or live outside of your territory. Your slayer range is one thousand miles in every direction. If you are found living elsewhere or hunting vampires outside of your territory, you and your family will be destroyed. No vampire is off limits to you except members of the Volturi. If you attempt to harm a member of the Volturi you will be destroyed."

I was under my enemy's thumb and it seriously pissed me off. I felt like a puppet and Caius was holding the strings. As long as the Volturi were in power, we could never be safe.

"I feel it only fair to warn you that we gather a lot of our information about our slayers from human spies. There will always be someone watching you."

Caius turned away from me and looked toward the vampires that stood behind him said something in Latin to them before turning back to me.

"It's time for us to go dear sweet Isabella. We are confident that you will do well as a slayer and are pleased with the choice to have you partnered with the shape-shifters. As a gift to show our gratitude Mia will be left behind to do with as you wish."

Immediately, Mia came forward and dropped to her knees in front of Caius and cried out, " No! I've done nothing but be loyal to the Volturi. How could you abandon me like this?"

Caius turned toward one of the other vampire leaders and said, "Aro, please explain to Mia why she will die today."

The dark haired vampire that Caius called Aro kneeled down in front of Mia and gently raised her chin so that they were eye level.

"Mia, your instructions were to have Edward Cullen kill Renee Swan not have her turned into a vampire. We bent many rules for you, Mia. Carlisle was liked and respected by us but you wanted him to die so we allowed it. In return, all we asked was for you to follow the instructions that we gave you. You couldn't do that, so you can experience the same fate Chase and Edward did."

Mia snatched her head away from Aro and hissed, "But I'm valuable to the Volturi. There isn't another vampire in existence that can resurrect a vampire that has been killed."

Aro grabbed Mia by the neck and raised her off the ground. His eyes were no longer red but instead they'd turned black and in a steely voice he said, "You may have been the first of our kind with your gift but I promise you that you won't be the last."

He dropped her and stepped back. Aro looked in my direction, smirked and said, "Have fun."

All of the vampires disappeared except for Mia. She sat as still as a statue as the wolves and myself circled around her.

Jacob mumbled under his breath, "Well at least we got to kill some vampires."

_Six months later…_

I stood in my bedroom in front of my full-length mirror, mesmerized. So much had happened between Jacob and me over the past year. It seemed as if no time at all had passed since I'd become a Slayer, my mother was killed and Chase rose from the ashes.

I studied my reflection. My dress was off-white with a fitted bodice that gradually flared from my waist. It was an A-line style that complimented my slim shape. The dress was feminine, but not too flashy or too much lace. My hairstyle was simple but classy.

I was no longer the shy insecure girl in high school, but now I was a woman with a husband and responsibilities that the normal young adult would never be able to handle. As I studied my reflection in the mirror, thoughts of what today symbolized caused my eyes to sparkle with excitement. The young woman looking back at me was not worried about the craziness that was her life or the tragedies of her past. The Isabella Black that looked back at me was excited and hopeful about the future with the only man she had ever loved.

Nata came and stood behind me. She smiled as she made eye contact with me in the mirror. She placed her hands on my shoulders and asked, "Are you ready?"

My eyes began to water a little, as I thought about Renee and that she wasn't here to share this moment with me. For the briefest moment, sadness flashed through my eyes before I took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I am."

Before I knew it, we were at First Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the sky. There was a slight breeze and the temperature was just right. Charlie was preparing to walk me down the trail of lavender rose petals to my Jacob, who stood next to Embry and Quil. On the other side of the minister, Angela, Leah, and Rachel were wearing Lavender bridesmaid dresses and holding lavender rose bouquets.

Charlie grabbed my arm and asked, "Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath and said, "Yes."

We began to walk forward and as I moved closer and closer to my beloved for this moment at least everything was right with the world.

**Wow, I'm at a loss for words right now. The Alpha's Imprint is done except for the epilogue. I plan to have that posted as soon as possible. I'm sure you still have questions such as…How many children will Jacob and Bella have and will they be wolves with slayer powers? Will there be another generation of wolves? Will the Volturi be destroyed?**

**I will not put my foot in my mouth and attempt to give shout outs to each and every reader of this story but I must say a warm thank you to the ones that have stuck by me from the beginning, beginning…**

**Thank you Nelli3P(my step-daughter), Kathy Hiester, Augustmoon99,Twimama77,lylly,zdra8351,peacefuldragonrose,wolfgirl26,jesterjam, and YankeeGirlNJ. Please do not take offense if your name was not included. **

**I am thankful for everyone who read this story and took the time to review and give me your thoughts weather good or bad. Thank you Wordslinger for leading me to Project Team Beta, if it wasn't for them this story would just be an empty shell.**

**Thank you DreaC and Wolfskill for being my betas and helping to breathe life into this story. Thank you Tima, from Twilighted for being my validater. **

**As always, thanks for the reviews and story alerts!**


	46. Chapter 46 Epilogue

_**Two years later**_

Jacob always dreamt of having a large family. He looked forward to coming home from work everyday to the sounds of his children's laughter. Bella had to remind Jacob that the Swan family line only had one male or female child per generation.

If it were up to Bella one child would have been enough, but she knew how much Jacob loved children and it bothered her that she wouldn't be able to give him more than one. They thought about possibly doing IVF, but quickly decided against it once they realized that Jacob wouldn't be able to use his sperm because of the wolf gene, and no one knew what would be discovered if Bella's eggs were looked at under a microscope.

While on a short week long vacation in California, Bella conceived. They got a lot of attention the first couple of weeks since Bella and Jake were the first couple out of all of their friends to get pregnant. Once Bella hit the four-week mark, she was plagued with morning sickness so intense that she had to be hospitalized for a couple of days due to dehydration. Billy made a comment that his wife Sarah had been just as sick as Bella and she had twins. Bella laughed and told Billy that wasn't a possibility for her and Jacob. Billy's comment put a smile on Jacob's face that had been missing for a while.

While Bella was in the hospital, the doctors performed an ultrasound and it showed that Bella was indeed pregnant with twins. For the first couple of weeks after Bella found out about the twins she was horrified. All she kept wondering was how she would take care of two babies at once. Once they went back for another ultrasound, she heard the twin's heartbeats for the first time and all of her fears disappeared. She began to be thankful for the miracle that they were blessed with.

Once Bella hit fourteen weeks each of the other imprints became pregnant one after the other. First, it was Leah, then Angela, Rachel and Kim. Claire was still too young for Quil to marry and Seth, Brady and Collin had not imprinted.

Once Bella was in her second trimester, her morning sickness vanished and she was able to enjoy the rest of her pregnancy. At eighteen weeks, Jacob and Bella found out they were having a girl and a boy. This shocked everyone. Did this mean that they could expect another slayer and a wolf? Only time would tell.

_Sarah Renee Black and Charles Ephraim Black_ was born in the middle of the night during one of the worst snowstorms that the state of Washington had ever had. The weather didn't matter though, there was nothing but the warmth of love and adoration as Jacob and Bella gazed at their children their first few hours of life.

It never occurred to Jacob and Bella that it was a possibility that she could get pregnant again. Therefore, when the twins were only eight months she fainted in the doctor's office when he came back with the happy news that she was once again pregnant. Jacob almost swallowed his tongue when the doctor told them that they were expecting twins once again. It was a bright sunny day when _William Jacob Black and Amber Marie Black_ was born.

_Seven Years after the birth of William and Amber…_

Sue Clearwater was from the Makah reservation. When Sue and Harry met and fell in love, she moved away from her family to be with Harry. When Leah and Seth were young children Harry and Sue used to spend every other holiday with Sue's family, but as time went on the visits became less and less. Sue's parents were now deceased and she wasn't very close to her sister, so most of her communication now was through emails and letters.

When Seth turned eighteen, he decided that he wanted to go to the Makah reservation to visit his aunt and cousins. Collin and Brady went with him. Everyone was shocked when Sue and Harry got a phone call from Seth telling them that Seth, Brady and Collin had imprinted with girls from the Makah tribe. Eventually, Seth, Brady and Collin all decided that they didn't want to uproot their imprints, but instead they wanted to move to where their imprints were. The council all agreed that it wasn't a coincidence that three wolves had imprinted with members of another tribe. There had to be a reason why the wolf gene was being spread to another tribe. This was a clue to something big coming in the future…

Nata Call had believed that she was destined never to fall in love again. She pretended to be okay with that. Nata had Embry, Paul, Angela and Bella so her days were never lonely. She struggled most nights though; it was then that the loneliness came. Having to get into an empty bed and never be held and cherished in that special way brought tears to her eyes sometimes.

There was one other person that could understand what she was going through and that was Charlie Swan. There had been so much going on right after Renee died that no one really paid attention to make sure that Charlie spent some time grieving for the loss of his wife and best friend. Charlie had stopped caring about life; he retired and moved to La Push. He spent most of his days doing nothing but drinking beer and watching sports.

Since Renee died, Nata was like a second mother to Bella. They spent hours talking about marriage, motherhood, and the supernatural. Bella confided in Nata that she and Billy were worried about Charlie. Since Nata knew what it was like to lose her soul mate, Bella asked Nata if she could make herself available for Charlie to have someone to talk to.

Nata was happy to help and so for the next six months Charlie Swan and Nata Call had dinner together in her home every Tuesday and Thursday. It was a beautiful star filled night when Charlie Swan got down on one knee and asked Nata to be is wife. Tears ran down her cheeks as she eagerly said "yes"…

Embry loved his life. He had a beautiful wife, two children that brought nothing but joy and peace to his heart, and a mother that now had someone to love and take care of her. Embry thought he had it all until Kalani Crowe came back into his life.

It had been a year since there had been any vampire activity. The pack still ran patrols but not as often as they did in the past. Everyone came together to celebrate because at least for now the pack was able to live normal lives with their wives and children.

Jacob and Embry were sitting next to each other watching their children play together when Embry dropped the cup that he was holding and stared blankly at the stranger that walked across the sand toward him.

Embry stood up slowly and began to walk toward the stranger that somehow seemed familiar to him.

It wasn't until Kalani stood directly in front of Embry that he noticed Nata and Charlie were directly behind Kalani. Nata came forward and explained to Embry that her mother had a dream concerning our families and she insisted that Kalani and his family needed to come to La Push.

Looking into the kind eyes of the man that at one time loved and took care of Embry and his mother overtook him with so much emotion that he could barely stand. Tears ran down Kalani's cheeks as he gazed into the eyes of the son he had lost so long ago. Nata's mother wouldn't say exactly why Kalani needed to come to La Push with his wife and children but everyone would find out the next day.

Sarah Renee Black was her father's child. She was carefree and enjoyed making other people laugh and have a good time. She liked to push boundaries that were set for her and her siblings, which caused them to get into trouble a lot.

Sarah liked to try new things and feared nothing. Everyone wondered if Sarah would be the first she-wolf because all of the children gravitated toward her and followed her directions as if they were the law. Physically Sarah was the perfect blend of Jacob and Bella. She had pale skin like Bella but was able to tan in the sun, which caused her complexion to darken in the summer months. She had her mother's beautiful brown eyes, but Jacob's thick raven-black hair that reached just past her bottom. Sarah had Jacob's nose and lip shape. Everyone warned Jacob that he would have to guard her with a shotgun when she became a teenager because every boy on the reservation would want a chance to be her boyfriend.

When nine-year-old Sarah woke up the morning after the bonfire, she didn't feel well. Her stomach felt weird. It didn't hurt but it felt like tiny little butterflies were moving around trying to find a way out. She felt jittery and shook slightly.

She got out of bed and wondered downstairs to find her mother or father to tell them that she didn't feel well. They weren't home. Nata was in the kitchen making breakfast for her and her siblings. She told Nata that she didn't feel well and she wanted her mom. Nata told Sarah if she wanted to see Bella she would have to go to Embry's.

Sarah ran back upstairs and quickly got dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. She dropped to her knees, looked under the bed for her sneakers, and quickly put them on. As Sarah ran down the stairs toward the front door she yelled out, "I'm leaving and going to Uncle Embry's."

The closer Sarah got to Aunt Angela and Uncle Embry's the more her stomach felt funny. She felt like there was a rope tied around her waist and it was pulling her into her aunt and uncles yard. She began to run once she heard children playing in the backyard. She ran down the path that led to the back of the house and stopped once she took in the scene in front of her. Her best friends Conner and Tammy were playing catch with a boy that she'd never seen before. He was Native American but he wasn't Quileute.

Once Sarah made eye contact with this boy, the butterflies in her stomach stopped, but the feeling of being pulled did not lessen. She continued to walk toward the young boy that she'd never seen before and didn't stop until they were standing a couple of inches apart. He was several inches taller than she was, so she had to look up a little to make eye contact with him. They both began to smile at the same time.

Sarah opened her mouth to introduce herself but nothing came out but a squeak. The young boy's smile increased. He cleared his throat and said, "Hi, I'm KJ."

Sarah cleared her throat and reached her hand out toward KJ as she said," Nice to meet you, I'm Sarah." Once their hands touched, a yellowish glow formed around them.

At the same time that Sarah and KJ shook hands Jacob, Bella, Kalani, and Embry were watching them through the kitchen window. Jacob stumbled away from the window and muttered, "He's a teenager and she's only nine."

Bella hugged Jacob around the waist and said, "KJ is only thirteen and for now they will only be friends."

Kalani continued to stare out the window as he said, "What exactly did that yellow light just mean? Did your daughter just imprint on my son?"

Bella smiled and said, "The same thing happened between Jacob and me when I was twelve and he was ten. It's what happens when a slayer accepts her mate."

Jacob Black-Alpha Wolf/Bella Black-Slayer/Imprint/Wife

**Their children**

_Sarah Renee Black-Slayer (Marries KJ and moves to the _Tolowa tribe in California)_, Charles Ephraim Black-Next Generation Alpha Wolf of Quileute Tribe (Imprints on Anna Altera), Amber Marie Black-Slayer (marries Jeremy Helms), and William Jacob Black-Beta (imprints on Carissa Uley) _

Embry Call-Werewolf/Angela Call-Wife/Imprint

**Their children**

_Conner Call-werewolf (does not imprint but marries non-Native American Ashley Jones) and Tamera Call- Messenger (does not marry or have any children) _

Paul Trujillo-Werewolf/Rachel Trujillo-Wife/Imprint

**Their Children**

**Twins**

_Jaci Trujillo (marries Takoda Hunt from the Hoopa Valley Tribe) and Paul Trujillo Jr. –werewolf (imprints on Kasa Uley)_

Sam Uley-Beta Wolf/Leah Uley-Wife/Imprint

**Their Children**

_Carissa Uley (William Jacob Black's imprint) and Kasa Uley (Paul Jr.'s imprint)_

Jared Cameron-Werewolf/Kim Cameron-Wife/Imprint

**Their Child**

_Shima Cameron (marries Jackson Miles from the Makah reservation)_

_Quil Altera-Werewolf/Claire Altera-Wife/Imprint_

**Their Children**

_Anna Altera (Charles Ephraim Black's imprint) and Walker Altera-werewolf (does not imprint or marry)_

Seth Clearwater-Alpha Wolf/Amy Clearwater-Imprint/Wife

**Their Children**

_Seth Clearwater Jr. –Second generation Alpha Wolf (imprints on Mazy Tososie), Jayson Clearwater-werewolf (imprints on Doli Martin), Michael Clearwater-werewolf (imprints on Jessica Prince-non Native American), Patrick Clearwater-werewolf (imprints on Amanda Wolf), and Max Clearwater-werewolf (does not imprint but marries Michelle Gonzales-non Native American)_

Collin Littlesea –Beta Wolf/Megan Littlesea-Imprint/Wife

**Their Children**

_Lupe Littlesea (marries Jacob Smith), Brianna Littlesea (marries Cameron Whey), Judlyn Littlesea-second generation Beta (imprints on Andrea Combs-non Native American), Marcel Littlesea-wolf (imprints on Rose White)_

Brady Fuller-Werewolf/Lisa Fuller-Imprint/Wife

**Their Children**__

_David Fuller-Werewolf (does not imprint but marries Kara Knolls), Braxton Fuller-Werewolf (imprints on Beth Taylor-non Native American), and Candace Fuller (marries Jonathan Write)_

**Ten years after Chase's second death**

_**Lancaster, England**_

Ten years had gone by since Alice and Jasper had walked away from Chase and Edward to start a new life no longer as a Cullen. They did meet up with Rose and Emmett in New York but after a couple of years they all decided that it would be best to live separately for a while. A week ago, Alice had a vision that made her so emotionally rattled that for a moment Jasper was immobilized with the fear that engulfed Alice's whole being.

Alice insisted that they needed to be in Lancaster, England sitting at this park bench 9:00 pm today. She refused to tell Jasper what this was about but insisted that he would understand once he saw it for himself.

At exactly 9:00 pm sharp, two figures were walking down the path toward Alice and Jasper. From their scent and accelerated heartbeat, Jasper knew right away that they were hybrid vampires. Jasper looked at Alice and she said, "Just wait until they get closer."

Alice and Jasper had a very interesting and informative conversation with Gwen and Mason _Cullen. _There were many things that Edward had kept from his family when he reappeared in their lives, such as during his rouge year's he'd ran across a human that resembled his late wife Katherine and he fathered a set of twins that he left another vampire coven to raise…

At the same moment that Alice and Jasper met Gwen and Mason Cullen, Bella was waking up from an early evening nap with a smile on her face.

She sat up slowly and thought about the dream she had just had.

_Bella, along with her daughters were standing near the edge of the cliffs over looking the rocky shore below them. They were watching as all the wolves from La Push, Makah, Hoopa Valley and Tolowa Tribes gathered into formation with Alpha Jacob Black as the lead. _

_Standing in front of the wolves were the Egyptian Coven, Romanian Coven, and several dedicated nomads. Leading the vampires were Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Mason and Gwen._

_Everyone's focus was on the ocean as hundreds of Volturi Guards emerged out of the water with Aro, Caius and Marcus in the lead. _

_Bella smiled when their Slayer Blocker Sacha and their Shield Gianna walked away from the Volturi Guard and stood next to Gwen and Mason. Bella thought to herself "I love being The Alpha's Imprint…"_

**So my lovely readers we have come to the end. Several of you have asked if there will be a sequel and the answer is "No". I loved writing this story but I am ready to elevate to the next level and write something that I can say is completely my own. There is a possibility I may write a one-shot from time to time just to keep me in practice, but don't look for that any time soon. **

**The interpretation of Bella's dream is very simple. All of the wolves will come together with the help of some vampires and they will defeat the Volturi because their main weapons against the Slayers will turn against the Volturi leaving them vulnerable. **

**I you have any questions about the ending or about something you may not understand please don't hesitate to PM me.**

**Once again, I just have to say "Thank You to everyone that has read this story. Your reviews are what gave me the courage to keep going until the story was complete.**

**Just a reminder…I plan to complete "On Both Sides of the Line" now that this story is finished. So look for that update within the next couple of weeks. It just depends on how quickly PTB sends the chapters back to me.**

**Farwell and thank you!**

**Melinda (dorme99)**


	47. Chapter 47 Once In a Lifetime

**A/N: Guess what? Someone has taken an interest in the Second Generation wolf pack of The Alpha's Imprint. This is the first chapter so please go visit her profile and show her some love. This story will focus on the offspring of Quil and Claire. **

_**Quil's son, Walker Altera, is a hot-tempered werewolf who is mad at the world and blames everyone in it for messing it up, especially Embry's daughter, Tamera Call.**_

The Name of the story is _Once In a Lifetime by WolfClub. _

Chapter One: Dead Wishing  
**Walker POV****  
**  
My name is Walker Altera, and I am a werewolf. I'm six feet tall which makes me the shortest in the pack. My hair is black, short, and spiky. I have dark brown eyes, full lips, and thanks to the wolf gene, I'm very muscular. Most people avoid me because of my hot temper and it's rare that anyone has ever seen a smile on my face since I was a child.

I hated life as a werewolf, shape shifter or whatever you wanted to call it. I hated vampires for making us this way. I hated the Imprints that were supposed to be made for us to reproduce the gene, and most importantly, I hated Tamera, Embry's daughter for taking the Messenger Call.

I became resentful of the pack, vampires, the imprints, and Tamera a few years ago. Tamera Call was the love of my life. She was supposed to be my soul mate, my imprint, but it never happened because of the call of the messenger. When she accepted the call, it rejected the imprint. I've hated her ever since she rejected the imprint and me. I try to drown my pain and forget her by chasing after random woman that I flaunt in her face whenever I can.

"Walker, it's time to go patrol." Charles yelled.

Charles Ephraim Black was one of my friends, along with William Jacob Black and Conner Call. I walked to the woods and phased. We patrolled around Forks and La Push. A familiar burning sensation crept up my nose and knew that vampires must be near by. I went against my Alpha's orders and didn't howl for back-up like I was supposed to do. Instead, I attacked the blood-sucking leech. He dodged out of the way and began to taunt me.

"Come on pup, you can do better than that can't you?"

I snarled and lunged for his leg, but he was fast and I missed. A female vampire came out of the nowhere and said, "Carson, are you playing with the dogs again?"

I snarled, leapt toward the female leech, and ripped her leg off, but before I could do any real damage, the male threw me into a tree. The impact of hitting the tree knocked the wind out of me and for a moment, I was unable to move. Suddenly, I heard a loud cracking noise and the tree I crashed into began to fall on me. Conner blocked the tree from falling completely on me and howled for the rest of the pack. Conner told William to get my dad, Jacob, Embry, Paul, Sam, and Jared. I passed out after that.


End file.
